Most state governments in the country are hiding
the security votes in their budgets as the funds are not expressly
stated in their appropriation acts, detailed Saturday Punch
investigations spanning the length and breadth of the country have
indicated.
States that fall into this category are Kaduna, Ondo, Ekiti and Anambra.
However,
despite the deliberate omission of the figures in the state budgets, a
huge amount of money running into billions of naira is spent yearly,
which though is sanctioned by the constitution.
Such expenditures are not accounted for by the governors in line with the provisions of the constitution.
But Rivers, Imo, Lagos and Oyo states included their security votes in their 2011 Appropriation Acts.
However,
two governors, Alhaji Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State and his counterpart
in Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha, aroused public interest in security
votes (funds) with their unprecedented declarations on the expenditure,
shortly after they were sworn in.
Kwankwaso, whose first
tenure ended in 2003, described security votes as another way of
stealing public funds and vowed not to touch it, while Okorocha slashed
his state’s security vote from N6.5bn to N2.5bn.
Okorocha said he was freeing the gains made in the cut for education and other areas in dire need of funding.
Kwankwaso
had said, “For the four years I was governor, I had one jeep and three
security vehicles. Only the jeep was brand new, while the other three
were second hand. And, when I left the Government House, I left them
there.
“Another thing is, my estacode was only N15,000 and no security vote.
“Security vote anywhere is stealing. I don’t believe in it, I never applied it during my first tenure (1999 to 2003).
“And
I don’t think I’m going to apply same now, in that the provisions aid
corruption in the art of governance. I will like to lead by example, and
the moment you steal once, your successor will double your record.”
In states where security votes are not in their budgets, sources gave out what were allocated.
In 2011, Imo set aside N2.5bn as security vote, Rivers State, N7.5bn; Oyo State, N2bn; and Kaduna State, N8bn.
The monthly security vote of Ondo State is N500m.
With
security challenges such as armed robbery, kidnapping and bombing
campaigns on the increase across the country, many political observers
are showing concern about how governors spend their security votes.
The picture in some of the states is as follows:
Rivers
Checks
by our correspondent showed that Rivers allocated N7.5bn for security
in its 2010 budget. The amount was also budgeted in 2011.
But
a group known as the Niger Delta Citizens Budget Platform kicked
against “the huge amount” earmarked as security vote for the state.
The
group, in a statement signed by its coordinator, Mr. Ken Henshaw,
decried such a huge provision at the expense of the health and education
sectors.
However, in its reaction, the state government said the group’s position was not correct.
The
state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim
Semenitari, said the state had remained safe as a result of the
government’s commitment to security.
Semenitari said,
“Security does not come cheap. Talking about top of the range equipment
and significant training and manpower development, the government has
expended considerable resources to ensure this safety.”
Also,
the acting Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Blessing Wikina,
said it was wrong for the group to assert that the security vote in the
state was high.
Wikina explained that considering the
state of insecurity in the past, the group would have known where the
state was coming from.
He said, “The state has done well
in the area of security. The group does not understand the situation we
were before as it concerns security and that is why it made such
assertion out of ignorance.”
Oyo
Before he
left office on May 29, 2011, the immediate governor of Oyo State, Chief
Adebayo Alao-Akala, budgeted N2bn for security.
Explaining
how the N2bn will be spent, spokesman for Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Dr.
Festus Adedayo, said, “Although all security agencies, being federal
organisations, receive subventions from the Federal Government, they
have some needs that are peculiar to their operations in the state.
“Thus,
the state government releases to them funds from this security vote
that will supplement and complement federal allocations to them, but
with the specific target of having the funds helping in the security
needs of the state.
“It is hoped that if the security
agencies, which collect this money from the state government monthly,
use these funds judiciously, the security of the people of the state
would be adequately catered for.”
Lagos
The
Lagos State Government put its security expenditure under two headings
in its 2011 budget: Public Order and Safety, and Social Protection.
While
Public Order and Safety was allocated N12.763bn, which is 2.9 per cent,
Social Protection got N6.137bn or 1.4 per cent of the budget.
The state also operates a Security Trust Fund, through which security-related issues are financed.
The
Senior Special Adviser, Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello referred our
correspondent to the Commissioner for Budget and Planning and Lagos
State Trust Fund for proper explanation of the performance of the
state’s allocation to security.
He however said that the
state government paid a great deal of attention to all the security
agencies in Lagos and was giving its support where necessary.
He
said, “There is also a security committee made up of all the heads of
the security agencies in the state. They meet once in a month and
discuss nothing but security.”
Bello added that all funds
for security were judiciously channelled towards ensuring the safety of
lives and properties in Lagos.
Imo
Imo State
will gain N4bn monthly from the reduction in the state security votes
contained in the 2011 budget prepared by the government of Mr. Ikedi
Ohakim.
Okorocha’s decision to reduce the vote has been applauded by the people of the state, especially the monarchs.
The governor said the N4bn would be spent on the free education programme of his administration.
To
legitimise the reduction, the Imo State House of Assembly has passed a
bill, which spells out how the slashing affected the public officers who
benefit from the votes.
Accordingly, the security vote
for the office of Secretary to State Government was reduced from N250m
to N50m, while those of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker were reduced from
N400m to N200m and N200m to N80m respectively.
Kano
Even
though Kwankwaso will not spend any security vote, a perusal of the
2011 budget shows that security vote is not reflected in the budget
prepared by the former administration of Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, which
came to an end on May 29, 2011.
Ondo
Also, in Ondo State, there is no information on security vote in the 2011 budget.
However,
a member of the state House of Assembly, who preferred anonymity,
claimed the state House of Assembly increased the monthly security vote
from N350m to N500m during the former Governor Olusegun Agagu
administration, adding that the situation had remained the same.
Attempts
to confirm his claim were, however, futile as both the Commissioner for
Information, Mr. Ranti Akerele and the Chief Press Secretary to the
Governor, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, were mum on the issue.
A
senior government official, however, said, “Honestly, you cannot get the
information anywhere. Only the governor can tell you and this is not
possible for now.”
Anambra
In Anambra State,
the security vote of Governor Peter Obi has continued to be shrouded in
secrecy. As in many states, it was not mentioned in the Anambra 2011
Appropriation Act.
Officials at the House of Assembly and the Government House were not willing to state the amount involved.
Even the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, declined comments on the matter.
At
the state assembly, all the officials approached by one of our
correspondents shied away from the issue, hiding under the excuse that
they were just assuming duties.
But the Academic Staff Union of Universities alleged last year that the governor received N650m a month as security vote.
Obi,
in a quick reaction then, denied the ASUU claim and threatened to
resign if he actually received up to half of the amount alleged by the
union. But he refused to state how much his security vote was.
Kaduna
In
Kaduna State, attempts to get the actual amount budgeted for security
this year proved abortive. The amount is not in the 2011 budget.
The
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr.
Reuben Buhari, did not reply the SMS message sent to him by our
correspondent on the matter. He later promised to get the information on
it from the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Lawal Yakawada.
Buhari never did at the time of going to the press.
Our
correspondent, however, learnt from a senior government official who
pleaded anonymity that about N8bn was allegedly budgeted as security
vote for 2011.
Ekiti
In Ekiti State, officials did not know how much the government set aside as the vote for security.
The
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, told our
correspondent that he would find out, but he failed to call back at the
time of filing this report.
The chairman, House Committee
on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Mr. Adeyinka
Adeloye, in an interview, said that security vote was not included in
the budget.
He explained that the non-inclusion of the
amount in the budget was deliberate because nobody would want that to
leak, citing security reasons.
He said, “Security vote is
not included in the budget. Things that bear on security are not made
public in every part of the world. This is so because they can get into
wrong hands. You will agree with me that security is a very important
aspect of governance and no government can afford to joke with it.”
Kwara
According
to the recurrent expenditure of the 2011 Kwara State Government budget,
security expenses under Government House is N750m. Also, under
recurrent expenditure for the Governor’s Office, a provision of N6m was
made for expenses on the maintenance of the Nigeria Security and Civil
Defence Corps. A provision of N12m was made for N12m for the upkeep of
Security Council and Intelligence and Security Committee under recurrent
expenditure of the Governor’s Office.
Enugu
The
Budget Office, Ministry of Finance in Enugu State, on Thursday said
that no specific amount was allocated for security votes in its 2011
budget.
By Emmanuel Obe, Chukwudi Akasike, Olalekan Adetayo,
Segun Olatunji, Sunday Aborisade, Sesan Olufowobi, Mustapha Salihu,
Success Nwogu, and Ozioma Ubabukoh
Courtesy Of: Punch
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Court awards N500,000 against police ...restrains senator from evicting invalid
A high court sitting in Isiokolo, Ethiope East
Local Government Area of Delta State, on Tuesday ordered the Nigeria
Police to pay a commercial motorcycle rider, Mr. Iroroevun Isiakpere,
the sum of N500,000 for subjecting the victim to torture.
Similarly, a separate court sitting in Sapele on Thursday restrained Senator Adeghor Eferakeya, who represented Delta Central between 2007 and 2011, from evicting an invalid, Mr. Friday Eki, from his one-room apartment at No. 9, Fedison Road, Sapele.
Isiakpere, who won his case against the police, was riding a motorcycle with registration number DT 8801 WX from Kokori to Abraka when some policemen allegedly forced him to stop at a check point opposite the Kokori Police Post.
The court, presided over by Justice A.O. Omamogho, in Suit No: HCI/22/2010 brought before it by a human rights group, the Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, led by its National Coordinator, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, awarded the N500,000 to the victim, as cost of general damage and another N50,000 for cost of filing the suit.
A constable indentified as Peter Jatto, who was the first respondent among eight others, including the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim and the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Mamman Tsafe, joined in the suit, was said to have used the police baton to hit the victim, causing him severe injuries in the face.
In its ruling, the court held that the police officer had violated the victim’s fundamental right to life and dignity of human person as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
The judge described Jatto, who committed the offence, as callous, brutal and lacking police skills and training.
The police prosecutor had claimed that the victim was trying to escape a check and search by the police when he ran into the police baton.
But the presiding judge in his ruling said a trained police officer should rather devise a better method to checkmate the fleeing cyclist, which would have included chasing him on a motorcycle or vehicle, rather than forcefully stopping him and hitting him violently in the face.
The case had been in court since the April 5, 2010.
The judge held that the word “torture” under Sections 33, 34 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution could further mean physical brutalisation of a human person, adding that it also embodied a situation of mental torture, causing mental agony or mental worry.
Omamogho said, “I hereby award the sum of N500,000.00 as general damages against the first, fourth, fifth and sixth defendants jointly and severally for the callous act of the first respondent, who is under the control and authority of the fourth and fifth respondents. The applicant is also entitled to N50,000 as the cost of this action.”
In the case of Eki, an invalid, who was on July 27, 2010 forcefully evicted from his one-bedroom apartment by the respondent, allegedly with the aid of his orderlies, the court gave an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Eferakeya from further harassing his tenant.
While ordering the senator, to refrain from further action until the determination of the case, the presiding judge, Justice G.E. Gbemre, in Suit No: S/48/2010/M1, urged the tenant to continue to pay his monthly rent.
By Emmanuel Addeh, Warri Courtesy Of: Punch
Similarly, a separate court sitting in Sapele on Thursday restrained Senator Adeghor Eferakeya, who represented Delta Central between 2007 and 2011, from evicting an invalid, Mr. Friday Eki, from his one-room apartment at No. 9, Fedison Road, Sapele.
Isiakpere, who won his case against the police, was riding a motorcycle with registration number DT 8801 WX from Kokori to Abraka when some policemen allegedly forced him to stop at a check point opposite the Kokori Police Post.
The court, presided over by Justice A.O. Omamogho, in Suit No: HCI/22/2010 brought before it by a human rights group, the Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, led by its National Coordinator, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, awarded the N500,000 to the victim, as cost of general damage and another N50,000 for cost of filing the suit.
A constable indentified as Peter Jatto, who was the first respondent among eight others, including the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim and the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Mamman Tsafe, joined in the suit, was said to have used the police baton to hit the victim, causing him severe injuries in the face.
In its ruling, the court held that the police officer had violated the victim’s fundamental right to life and dignity of human person as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
The judge described Jatto, who committed the offence, as callous, brutal and lacking police skills and training.
The police prosecutor had claimed that the victim was trying to escape a check and search by the police when he ran into the police baton.
But the presiding judge in his ruling said a trained police officer should rather devise a better method to checkmate the fleeing cyclist, which would have included chasing him on a motorcycle or vehicle, rather than forcefully stopping him and hitting him violently in the face.
The case had been in court since the April 5, 2010.
The judge held that the word “torture” under Sections 33, 34 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution could further mean physical brutalisation of a human person, adding that it also embodied a situation of mental torture, causing mental agony or mental worry.
Omamogho said, “I hereby award the sum of N500,000.00 as general damages against the first, fourth, fifth and sixth defendants jointly and severally for the callous act of the first respondent, who is under the control and authority of the fourth and fifth respondents. The applicant is also entitled to N50,000 as the cost of this action.”
In the case of Eki, an invalid, who was on July 27, 2010 forcefully evicted from his one-bedroom apartment by the respondent, allegedly with the aid of his orderlies, the court gave an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Eferakeya from further harassing his tenant.
While ordering the senator, to refrain from further action until the determination of the case, the presiding judge, Justice G.E. Gbemre, in Suit No: S/48/2010/M1, urged the tenant to continue to pay his monthly rent.
By Emmanuel Addeh, Warri Courtesy Of: Punch
Police create five new area commands for Lagos
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, has created additional five police area commands in Lagos State.
This brings the total number of area commands in the state to 13.
It was gathered that the development followed a recent request by the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, to the IG on the need for additional area commands in the state because of its rising population and security challenges.
The newly created area commands are, Areas ‘J,’ with headquarters located at Elemoro; ‘K’ with headquarters at Morogbo; ‘L’ with headquarters at Ibeshe; ‘M’ with headquarters at Idimu, and ‘N’ with headquarters at Ijede.
An operational guideline sighted by our correspondent suggested that, Ajah, Ilasan, Langbasa, Ogombo, Maroko, Akodo and Epe divisions would be under Area ‘J’ Command.
Morogbo, Badagry, Seme, Ijanikin, Ishashi and Ilemba Hausa are under Area ‘K’ Command.
Ibeshe, Irede, Igbologun, Ikate and Takway Bay police stations form the divisions under Area ‘L’ Command, while Area ‘M’ Command consists of Ikotun, Igando, Isheri-Oshun, Shasha, Oke-Odo, Ayobo, Ipaja and Meiran which were hitherto under Area ‘G’ Command, Ogba.
Divisions such as Ikorodu, Sagamu Road, Ipakodo, Owutu, Agobowa, Imota and Owode-Onirin, which were hitherto under Area ‘H’ Command, now form the divisions under Area ‘N’ Command.
The force spokesman, Mr. Sola Amore, who confirmed the creation of the new commands, said it was to strengthen security in Lagos.
He said new Assistant Commissioners of Police, who would head the new area commands, had already been posted to the state.
By Sesan Olufowobi Courtesy Of: Punch
This brings the total number of area commands in the state to 13.
It was gathered that the development followed a recent request by the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, to the IG on the need for additional area commands in the state because of its rising population and security challenges.
The newly created area commands are, Areas ‘J,’ with headquarters located at Elemoro; ‘K’ with headquarters at Morogbo; ‘L’ with headquarters at Ibeshe; ‘M’ with headquarters at Idimu, and ‘N’ with headquarters at Ijede.
An operational guideline sighted by our correspondent suggested that, Ajah, Ilasan, Langbasa, Ogombo, Maroko, Akodo and Epe divisions would be under Area ‘J’ Command.
Morogbo, Badagry, Seme, Ijanikin, Ishashi and Ilemba Hausa are under Area ‘K’ Command.
Ibeshe, Irede, Igbologun, Ikate and Takway Bay police stations form the divisions under Area ‘L’ Command, while Area ‘M’ Command consists of Ikotun, Igando, Isheri-Oshun, Shasha, Oke-Odo, Ayobo, Ipaja and Meiran which were hitherto under Area ‘G’ Command, Ogba.
Divisions such as Ikorodu, Sagamu Road, Ipakodo, Owutu, Agobowa, Imota and Owode-Onirin, which were hitherto under Area ‘H’ Command, now form the divisions under Area ‘N’ Command.
The force spokesman, Mr. Sola Amore, who confirmed the creation of the new commands, said it was to strengthen security in Lagos.
He said new Assistant Commissioners of Police, who would head the new area commands, had already been posted to the state.
By Sesan Olufowobi Courtesy Of: Punch
Lagos introduces new IT programme for vehicle registration
The Lagos State Government says it has adopted a
wave-making information technology programme, the Electronic Data
Management, to ensure easy access to information on vehicles registered
in the state.
The Permanent Secretary of the state’s Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, Mr. Akin Hanson, said this on Friday.
He said the agency embarked on the project in order to align with global trends in e-governance and achieve the global best practices in vehicle administration.
Hanson explained that previous vehicle data written in ledgers at the state’s licensing stations from 1994 to 2007, before the commencement of the Autoreg system, had been converted from hard copies to electronic and web-based formats.
He said, “The EDMS will enhance efficient service delivery to the citizenry and boost transparency in the management of resources. The system would facilitate quick online storage and easy retrieval of information on vehicles, provide data electronically on demand, and enhance online transaction between the agency and its numerous stakeholders.”
By Sesan Olufowobi Courtesy Of: Punch
The Permanent Secretary of the state’s Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, Mr. Akin Hanson, said this on Friday.
He said the agency embarked on the project in order to align with global trends in e-governance and achieve the global best practices in vehicle administration.
Hanson explained that previous vehicle data written in ledgers at the state’s licensing stations from 1994 to 2007, before the commencement of the Autoreg system, had been converted from hard copies to electronic and web-based formats.
He said, “The EDMS will enhance efficient service delivery to the citizenry and boost transparency in the management of resources. The system would facilitate quick online storage and easy retrieval of information on vehicles, provide data electronically on demand, and enhance online transaction between the agency and its numerous stakeholders.”
By Sesan Olufowobi Courtesy Of: Punch
Alao-Akala tackles Ajimobi over planned 20,000 jobs
Former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State
on Friday faulted the plan by his successor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to
create 20,000 jobs within his first 100 days in office.
Alao-Akala, in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, described the plan as amorphous.
He observed that the terms of reference given to the committee on the creation of the 20,000 jobs had no clear commitment or vision.
Ajimobi had on Wednesday inaugurated a six-man committee saddled with the responsibility of providing 20,000 jobs for unemployed youths in the state within his 100 days in office.
The committee is headed by the state Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Alake-Adeyemo.
But Alao-Akala said that the initiative code-named ‘YES-O’ was suspicious because the first phase, which would employ traffic officers, was to replace the 262 officers sacked two weeks ago.
He, therefore, described the scheme as nothing short of “implementation by substitution.”
He said, “On the project’s plan to employ environmental workers, we need to emphasise that Alao-Akala employed 1,200 road cleaners over a year ago and we hope those will not be sacked and substituted with new ones.
“The second phase of ‘YES-O,’ would see to the ‘training of youths to be employable.’ The governor must be told that being employable is different from being employed.
“What Ajimobi promised was 20,000 jobs in his first 100 days and not 20,000 employable youths and he will be held accountable on September 5, when he will be 100 days in office.”
By Olalekan Adetayo, Ibadan Courtesy Of: Punch
Alao-Akala, in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, described the plan as amorphous.
He observed that the terms of reference given to the committee on the creation of the 20,000 jobs had no clear commitment or vision.
Ajimobi had on Wednesday inaugurated a six-man committee saddled with the responsibility of providing 20,000 jobs for unemployed youths in the state within his 100 days in office.
The committee is headed by the state Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Alake-Adeyemo.
But Alao-Akala said that the initiative code-named ‘YES-O’ was suspicious because the first phase, which would employ traffic officers, was to replace the 262 officers sacked two weeks ago.
He, therefore, described the scheme as nothing short of “implementation by substitution.”
He said, “On the project’s plan to employ environmental workers, we need to emphasise that Alao-Akala employed 1,200 road cleaners over a year ago and we hope those will not be sacked and substituted with new ones.
“The second phase of ‘YES-O,’ would see to the ‘training of youths to be employable.’ The governor must be told that being employable is different from being employed.
“What Ajimobi promised was 20,000 jobs in his first 100 days and not 20,000 employable youths and he will be held accountable on September 5, when he will be 100 days in office.”
By Olalekan Adetayo, Ibadan Courtesy Of: Punch
Another storey building collapses in Lagos
Nine days after a four-storey building went down
in Idumota, Lagos, another two-storey building collapsed in the Alapere
area of the state.
The incident, which an eyewitness said occurred at about 5 pm on Friday, affected House 20, Doyin Omololu Street, Alapere.
Although it was not clear whether there were casualties at the time this report was being compiled, it was learnt that three persons could have been trapped in the rubble.
Our correspondent learnt that construction work was still ongoing at the site before the building came down.
While the ground floor of the building was already occupied by tenants, the first and second floors, it was learnt, were still being constructed.
The eyewitness, identified simply as Mukaila, said he just came back from work and met the occupants of the collapsed building making hurried attempts to salvage whatever they could from their properties.
He said, “There is confusion here right now. A lot of policemen and fire fighters are here trying to assist the people.
“It is the first and second floors that collapsed on the ground floor, but the people are still managing to remove their belongings from the building.
“Some mallams who were working on the building are outside now, but they said three of their colleagues were still in the building.”
Our correspondent learnt that many sympathisers at the scene of the incident blamed the collapsed building on the downpour that has been consistent in the state since Sunday.
The spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, a deputy superintendent of police, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Friday.
He said the reports at his disposal were still scanty, but added that rescue operation was ongoing at the scene of the incident.
By Kunle Adeyemi Courtesy Of: Punch
The incident, which an eyewitness said occurred at about 5 pm on Friday, affected House 20, Doyin Omololu Street, Alapere.
Although it was not clear whether there were casualties at the time this report was being compiled, it was learnt that three persons could have been trapped in the rubble.
Our correspondent learnt that construction work was still ongoing at the site before the building came down.
While the ground floor of the building was already occupied by tenants, the first and second floors, it was learnt, were still being constructed.
The eyewitness, identified simply as Mukaila, said he just came back from work and met the occupants of the collapsed building making hurried attempts to salvage whatever they could from their properties.
He said, “There is confusion here right now. A lot of policemen and fire fighters are here trying to assist the people.
“It is the first and second floors that collapsed on the ground floor, but the people are still managing to remove their belongings from the building.
“Some mallams who were working on the building are outside now, but they said three of their colleagues were still in the building.”
Our correspondent learnt that many sympathisers at the scene of the incident blamed the collapsed building on the downpour that has been consistent in the state since Sunday.
The spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, a deputy superintendent of police, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Friday.
He said the reports at his disposal were still scanty, but added that rescue operation was ongoing at the scene of the incident.
By Kunle Adeyemi Courtesy Of: Punch
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Breaking News: SSS arrests el-Rufai
The State Security Service this morning arrested
the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir
el-Rufai, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International, Abuja.
The former minister was on his way back from London where he presented a lecture at an event held by Chatham House.
Sources said el-Rufai was detained over the comments he made at the event, especially his criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan.
He had alerted the whole world via Twitter to his arrest around 8.40am.
He was immediately taken to the Yellow House headquarters of the SSS, and kept waiting for a few minutes before he met with the DG, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong.
At a point, el-Rufai informed his Twitter followers that he could no longer communicate with them as his phones‘ batteries had run down.
Neither the security agency nor the Federal Government has offered any explanation for the action.
The ex-minister‘s arrest immediately set off a buzz across social media, with many commentators expressing surprise at the development.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
The former minister was on his way back from London where he presented a lecture at an event held by Chatham House.
Sources said el-Rufai was detained over the comments he made at the event, especially his criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan.
He had alerted the whole world via Twitter to his arrest around 8.40am.
He was immediately taken to the Yellow House headquarters of the SSS, and kept waiting for a few minutes before he met with the DG, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong.
At a point, el-Rufai informed his Twitter followers that he could no longer communicate with them as his phones‘ batteries had run down.
Neither the security agency nor the Federal Government has offered any explanation for the action.
The ex-minister‘s arrest immediately set off a buzz across social media, with many commentators expressing surprise at the development.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
Friday, July 1, 2011
Adoke knocks EFCC, ICPC at Senate screening
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, on Thursday delivered a damning
verdict on the country’s anti-corruption agencies, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and
Other Related Offences Commission, as lacking the capacity to
investigate and prosecute economic crimes.
Adoke told the Senate that many high profile corruption cases, including the $180m Halliburton bribe scandal, the alleged N50bn Police Equipment Fund fraud and the N3bn Vaswani Brothers rice importation scandal, failed because of the incompetence of the two anti-graft commissions.
He said, “Most of our anti-corruption agencies lack the capacity to do thorough investigations. They lack capacity to collate evidences to sustain a charge and secure conviction in court and until we properly reform these agencies, we will continue to experience the problems we are experiencing today.
“More often than not, people are arrested before they are investigated, they are arrested even before there is evidence, they traumatised them and the people are dramatically tried on the pages of newspapers and at the end of the day, when they are unable to prove their case, they end up blaming the courts.”
He lamented that the agencies had been rather involved in a show, arresting and prosecuting suspects without sufficient evidence to secure conviction in court.
“When we as the Ministry of Justice try to guide these agencies, they complain of interference. It will be appropriate to merge these agencies together so that they can effectively fight corruption,” he said.
Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, just on Wednesday threatened that the agency would soon go after ex-governors suspected to have perpetrated economic crimes during their tenures. She told the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in her office in Abuja that the commission was bidding its time in order to do proper investigations and file water-tight charges against the ex-governors.
Adoke, under whose portfolio the anti-corruption agencies fell, spoke during his screening for another ministerial term. He was confirmed alongside Dr. Usman Shamsudeen, Kano; Musa Sada, Katsina; Mr. Labaran Maku, Nasarawa; Hajia Zainab Maina, Adamawa; and Mrs. Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, Anambra State.
Confirmation of Adoke and the other six brought to 14 the number of ministerial nominees so far confirmed. The Senate had on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, Godsday Orubebe, Prof. Ruqqayatu Rufai, Mr. Emeka Wogu, Sen. Bala Mohammed, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (retd.).
Adoke also canvassed the merger of the EFCC and ICPC to be able to prosecute the anti-corruption war.
The EFCC on Thursday refused to react to the ex-minister’s verdict. “We are not reacting to what he said,” spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, told one of our correspondents on the phone.
ICPC spokesman, Folu Olamiti, said the commission was on top of its duties and “do not amend charges.”
“At ICPC, we do our jobs well. We make sure that we do thorough investigations before going to court,” he said.
The Halliburton scandal, in which a subsidiary of the American firm was said to have bribed some high profile citizens a total of $180m in exchange for lucrative contracts had been a running case with many twists, including a dramatic 16-count charge against former US Vice President Dick Cheney on December 8, 2010 by the EFCC. But while some of the foreign individuals and firms that were involved in the unholy deal had been convicted in their home countries, no Nigerian has been found wanton at home.
In reviewing the Halliburton scandal on Thursday, Adoke told the Senate: “The Halliburton case, sir, has been on for a number of years in this country. A lot of our high profile personalities have been diminished by allegations and counter allegations as to whether they were involved in the Halliburton case or not.
“I decided to confront the issue once and for all. I called for the reports and went through the reports. I found out that there were no sufficient evidences linking any of our past leaders in respect of the said Halliburton scandal.
“Those of them that we could identify, including Halliburton itself, Julius Berger and others, we decided to evaluate the position of our laws and the weaknesses inherent in our laws. At the end of the day, in line with global best practices, we opted to settle with them, because if we had decided to prosecute them, the likelihood of securing a conviction was very minimal.”
He buttressed his stand with the case of the Vaswani Brothers, where the government prosecuted the Indians but lost the cases, adding that, at a point, the court awarded damages in favour of the Vaswanis on the grounds of malicious prosecution.
The Vaswani Brothers Mahesh, Haresh and Sunil-were in 2009 arraigned by the EFCC for allegedly committing a N3bn import duty fraud against the Federal Government but they were found innocent by the court.
Adoke explained that while ICPC had the responsibility of fighting official corruption, the EFCC was responsible for the tackling of economic crimes and money laundering, adding that whenever the attention of the agencies were drawn to anomalies in their operations, they considered it as an interference.
The EFCC was established in 2003 by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to confront economic crimes and money laundering. Waziri, last December, told the US ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terrence Mcculley, that the agency in its seven years had recovered $11 billion (about N1.6 trillion) from corrupt elements in the country. She also said the commission had also recorded 400 convictions, most of them of Politically- Exposed Persons, during the same period.
The ICPC was inaugurated by the same Obasanjo administration in September 2000 to receive complaints, investigate and prosecute economic offenders in the public sector. In its more than 10 years of existence, it has secured fewer than 20 convictions while it has hundreds of cases pending in courts.
By Oluwole Josiah and Toyosi Ogunseye Courtesy Of: Punch
Adoke told the Senate that many high profile corruption cases, including the $180m Halliburton bribe scandal, the alleged N50bn Police Equipment Fund fraud and the N3bn Vaswani Brothers rice importation scandal, failed because of the incompetence of the two anti-graft commissions.
He said, “Most of our anti-corruption agencies lack the capacity to do thorough investigations. They lack capacity to collate evidences to sustain a charge and secure conviction in court and until we properly reform these agencies, we will continue to experience the problems we are experiencing today.
“More often than not, people are arrested before they are investigated, they are arrested even before there is evidence, they traumatised them and the people are dramatically tried on the pages of newspapers and at the end of the day, when they are unable to prove their case, they end up blaming the courts.”
He lamented that the agencies had been rather involved in a show, arresting and prosecuting suspects without sufficient evidence to secure conviction in court.
“When we as the Ministry of Justice try to guide these agencies, they complain of interference. It will be appropriate to merge these agencies together so that they can effectively fight corruption,” he said.
Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, just on Wednesday threatened that the agency would soon go after ex-governors suspected to have perpetrated economic crimes during their tenures. She told the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in her office in Abuja that the commission was bidding its time in order to do proper investigations and file water-tight charges against the ex-governors.
Adoke, under whose portfolio the anti-corruption agencies fell, spoke during his screening for another ministerial term. He was confirmed alongside Dr. Usman Shamsudeen, Kano; Musa Sada, Katsina; Mr. Labaran Maku, Nasarawa; Hajia Zainab Maina, Adamawa; and Mrs. Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, Anambra State.
Confirmation of Adoke and the other six brought to 14 the number of ministerial nominees so far confirmed. The Senate had on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, Godsday Orubebe, Prof. Ruqqayatu Rufai, Mr. Emeka Wogu, Sen. Bala Mohammed, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (retd.).
Adoke also canvassed the merger of the EFCC and ICPC to be able to prosecute the anti-corruption war.
The EFCC on Thursday refused to react to the ex-minister’s verdict. “We are not reacting to what he said,” spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, told one of our correspondents on the phone.
ICPC spokesman, Folu Olamiti, said the commission was on top of its duties and “do not amend charges.”
“At ICPC, we do our jobs well. We make sure that we do thorough investigations before going to court,” he said.
The Halliburton scandal, in which a subsidiary of the American firm was said to have bribed some high profile citizens a total of $180m in exchange for lucrative contracts had been a running case with many twists, including a dramatic 16-count charge against former US Vice President Dick Cheney on December 8, 2010 by the EFCC. But while some of the foreign individuals and firms that were involved in the unholy deal had been convicted in their home countries, no Nigerian has been found wanton at home.
In reviewing the Halliburton scandal on Thursday, Adoke told the Senate: “The Halliburton case, sir, has been on for a number of years in this country. A lot of our high profile personalities have been diminished by allegations and counter allegations as to whether they were involved in the Halliburton case or not.
“I decided to confront the issue once and for all. I called for the reports and went through the reports. I found out that there were no sufficient evidences linking any of our past leaders in respect of the said Halliburton scandal.
“Those of them that we could identify, including Halliburton itself, Julius Berger and others, we decided to evaluate the position of our laws and the weaknesses inherent in our laws. At the end of the day, in line with global best practices, we opted to settle with them, because if we had decided to prosecute them, the likelihood of securing a conviction was very minimal.”
He buttressed his stand with the case of the Vaswani Brothers, where the government prosecuted the Indians but lost the cases, adding that, at a point, the court awarded damages in favour of the Vaswanis on the grounds of malicious prosecution.
The Vaswani Brothers Mahesh, Haresh and Sunil-were in 2009 arraigned by the EFCC for allegedly committing a N3bn import duty fraud against the Federal Government but they were found innocent by the court.
Adoke explained that while ICPC had the responsibility of fighting official corruption, the EFCC was responsible for the tackling of economic crimes and money laundering, adding that whenever the attention of the agencies were drawn to anomalies in their operations, they considered it as an interference.
The EFCC was established in 2003 by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to confront economic crimes and money laundering. Waziri, last December, told the US ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terrence Mcculley, that the agency in its seven years had recovered $11 billion (about N1.6 trillion) from corrupt elements in the country. She also said the commission had also recorded 400 convictions, most of them of Politically- Exposed Persons, during the same period.
The ICPC was inaugurated by the same Obasanjo administration in September 2000 to receive complaints, investigate and prosecute economic offenders in the public sector. In its more than 10 years of existence, it has secured fewer than 20 convictions while it has hundreds of cases pending in courts.
By Oluwole Josiah and Toyosi Ogunseye Courtesy Of: Punch
Ministerial screening: Senate confirms Adoke, Maku, Shamsudeen, others
The Senate on Thursday confirmed seven additional
ministerial nominees, reviving its ‘bow and go’ tradition when two
female nominees were considered.
The ministers confirmed included Dr. Usman Shamsudeen, Kano; Musa Sada, Katsina; Mohammed Adoke(SAN), Kogi; Mr. Labaran Maku, Nasarawa; Hajia Zainab Maina, Adamawa; and Mrs. Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, Anambra State.
The confirmation brought the total number of ministers confirmed to 14, as seven ministers were confirmed on Wednesday.
Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, while answering questions on her involvement in the Goodluck Jonathan campaign, denied that the campaign was funded from state purse.
She was the Chief Accountant of Jonathan Campaign Organisation, clarifying that the allegations that funds were taken from the government agencies to fund the campaign was false.
She said, “Goodluck Jonathan had an immense goodwill. We did not take any money from any ministry or any government agency.”
She said market women and other organisations contributed to the campaign of the President, adding that a N500 contribution was received from a 12-year-old, who said he wanted to be part of the process of installing Jonathan as President.
While the male nominees faced serious questioning, the two women, Hajia Maina and Odua-Ogiemwonyi did not receive tough questions.
For Maina, her opening remarks were uncoordinated and was almost getting the protocol wrong.
She sauntered through her speech until senators were almost willing to let her escape further embarrassment.
She, however, promised to represent senators well in the federal cabinet as a mother, and used the opportunity to congratulate female senators for winning their elections to the Senate.
Both Maina and Ogiemwonyi were asked to take a bow and go without much questioning.
Meanwhile, a former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, is to nominate who will be appointed as minister to represent the South-South geo-political zone in the Federal Executive Council.
Our correspondent gathered that this was the outcome of a meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday. The meeting was said to have been held at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan.
By Fidelis Soriwei and Oluwole Josiah Courtesy Of: Punch
The ministers confirmed included Dr. Usman Shamsudeen, Kano; Musa Sada, Katsina; Mohammed Adoke(SAN), Kogi; Mr. Labaran Maku, Nasarawa; Hajia Zainab Maina, Adamawa; and Mrs. Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, Anambra State.
The confirmation brought the total number of ministers confirmed to 14, as seven ministers were confirmed on Wednesday.
Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, while answering questions on her involvement in the Goodluck Jonathan campaign, denied that the campaign was funded from state purse.
She was the Chief Accountant of Jonathan Campaign Organisation, clarifying that the allegations that funds were taken from the government agencies to fund the campaign was false.
She said, “Goodluck Jonathan had an immense goodwill. We did not take any money from any ministry or any government agency.”
She said market women and other organisations contributed to the campaign of the President, adding that a N500 contribution was received from a 12-year-old, who said he wanted to be part of the process of installing Jonathan as President.
While the male nominees faced serious questioning, the two women, Hajia Maina and Odua-Ogiemwonyi did not receive tough questions.
For Maina, her opening remarks were uncoordinated and was almost getting the protocol wrong.
She sauntered through her speech until senators were almost willing to let her escape further embarrassment.
She, however, promised to represent senators well in the federal cabinet as a mother, and used the opportunity to congratulate female senators for winning their elections to the Senate.
Both Maina and Ogiemwonyi were asked to take a bow and go without much questioning.
Meanwhile, a former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, is to nominate who will be appointed as minister to represent the South-South geo-political zone in the Federal Executive Council.
Our correspondent gathered that this was the outcome of a meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday. The meeting was said to have been held at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan.
By Fidelis Soriwei and Oluwole Josiah Courtesy Of: Punch
Minimum wage: Labour gives FG, states 14-day ultimatum
Organised Labour drew the battle line between
workers and all strata of governments, on Thursday, as it issued a
two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government and the 36 states of the
federation to implement the N18,000 Minimum Wage Act in the country or
face a nationwide industrial action
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, and his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Peter Esele, sounded this warning in Abuja, during a joint press conference.
The briefing was to state Labour’s reaction to the delay in the implementation of the new wage regime and the proposal for the removal of fuel subsidy by the Nigerian Governors Forum. The Forum had said that only the removal of the government-funded subsidy on petroleum products could make the funds required for the payment of the minimum wage available to the states.
The joint statement says, “Ultimatum on implementation of National Minimum Wage,” issued at the conference by the two foremost labour organizations stressed that the implementation of the minimum wage was not negotiable.
““Having reviewed the state of respect of the Minimum Wage Law, we have come to the sad realization that no level of Government has implemented the law, be it Federal, State or Local governments, in spite of the law having come into effect since March 2011.
“Given the above manifest reluctance or failure of Federal and state Government to implement the Minimum wage, which has consequently caused implementation inertia on the private sector, Organized Labour under the auspices of Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress hereby issue a two week ultimatum for full implementation of the minimum wage across the country.”
Omar and Esele said the decision of some state governors to tie the implementation of the N18, 000 new minimum wage to the removal of fuel subsidy is “unpatriotic and sadistic” and should be resisted.
Ondo State had, after series of negotiation with its workers, agreed for the time being to pay N14,000 instead of N18,000. But the NLC had accused the labour leaders in Ondo as saboteurs and described the said agreement as invalid.
“On the part of the States Governments while some are showing indication of wanting to pay, others that want to violate the constitution and the Law are inclined to blackmailing their colleagues.
“The Governors Forum in a show of reckless insensitivity to the plight of the Nigeria people have introduced strange elements into the scene, geared at subverting the process.
“Firstly the issue of new Revenue Allocation Formula, which requires Constitutional Amendment to achieve, has been to be condition precedent to implementation of the minimum wage.
“We find this as laughable and completely unacceptable as the Law is clear and unambiguous. All stakeholders were party to the formulation of the Law and we know of a fact that they can pay the N18, 000 minimum wage.
“Secondly, the sadistic introduction of the oil subsidy argument, is essentially asking Government to increase the prices of Petroleum Products and further impoverish the mass of our people. Again we reject this, and state unequivocally that there can be no conditionalities for payment of the new Minimum wage.”
While saying that they were aware of surreptitious moves by some state governors to intimidate and coerce workers into receiving less that the N18,000 minimum wage, the unions threatened to counter the moves with a strike that would cripple social and economic activities in such states.
“We hereby serve notice that any state Government that indulges in this or induces an illicit agreement to pay less than N18,000, will have to contend with a most robust form of resistance ever in the annals of workers solidarity in our country,” they said. They called on unions in the public and private sectors to commence immediate sensitization of their members in preparedness for the impending strike.
Esele, in his remarks, foreclosed the possibility of dialogue with the government stressing that the strike would go on immediately after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum.
He challenged the Nigerian Governors Forum to show to Nigerians that they had some regard for the constitution of the country by implementing the Minimum Wage Act.
He said that labour would not bother itself to attend any meeting with the government that would not bring about the demanded enforcement of the Minimum Wage act.
Esele said, “If we are called 24 hours before the expiration of the two weeks deadline we are going to go ahead with our strike. What we expect is implementation; we have gone beyond any form of negotiation on this issue again.
“Let me ask a rhetorical question, if they are going to call us for a meeting, in that meeting are they going to go ahead and pay us N18, 000 right away? No!
“One thing is clear, because what we are talking about is an issue of law. So, there is no negotiation any more. It is like taking somebody to a court and deliver judgment, judgment is delivered based on the law, and the N18, 000 we are talking about is strictly based on the law.
“So, whether the governors are saying they are having one forum or whatever forum they are having, what we are saying is that governors should go ahead and showed that they respect the law.
“In the case of the Federal Government, the Salaries and Wages Commission has been unable or unwilling to produce a table for implementation to Federal Public Servants, and so the Federal Government has not implemented the law.
Also, lampooned the Salaries and Wages Commission for failing to produce a table for the implementation of the new wage structure for federal workers. They threatened to mobilise workers and other Nigerians to resist moves by government to increase the prices of petroleum products in the country under the guise of deregulating the downstream sector of the oil industry.
By Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, and his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Peter Esele, sounded this warning in Abuja, during a joint press conference.
The briefing was to state Labour’s reaction to the delay in the implementation of the new wage regime and the proposal for the removal of fuel subsidy by the Nigerian Governors Forum. The Forum had said that only the removal of the government-funded subsidy on petroleum products could make the funds required for the payment of the minimum wage available to the states.
The joint statement says, “Ultimatum on implementation of National Minimum Wage,” issued at the conference by the two foremost labour organizations stressed that the implementation of the minimum wage was not negotiable.
““Having reviewed the state of respect of the Minimum Wage Law, we have come to the sad realization that no level of Government has implemented the law, be it Federal, State or Local governments, in spite of the law having come into effect since March 2011.
“Given the above manifest reluctance or failure of Federal and state Government to implement the Minimum wage, which has consequently caused implementation inertia on the private sector, Organized Labour under the auspices of Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress hereby issue a two week ultimatum for full implementation of the minimum wage across the country.”
Omar and Esele said the decision of some state governors to tie the implementation of the N18, 000 new minimum wage to the removal of fuel subsidy is “unpatriotic and sadistic” and should be resisted.
Ondo State had, after series of negotiation with its workers, agreed for the time being to pay N14,000 instead of N18,000. But the NLC had accused the labour leaders in Ondo as saboteurs and described the said agreement as invalid.
“On the part of the States Governments while some are showing indication of wanting to pay, others that want to violate the constitution and the Law are inclined to blackmailing their colleagues.
“The Governors Forum in a show of reckless insensitivity to the plight of the Nigeria people have introduced strange elements into the scene, geared at subverting the process.
“Firstly the issue of new Revenue Allocation Formula, which requires Constitutional Amendment to achieve, has been to be condition precedent to implementation of the minimum wage.
“We find this as laughable and completely unacceptable as the Law is clear and unambiguous. All stakeholders were party to the formulation of the Law and we know of a fact that they can pay the N18, 000 minimum wage.
“Secondly, the sadistic introduction of the oil subsidy argument, is essentially asking Government to increase the prices of Petroleum Products and further impoverish the mass of our people. Again we reject this, and state unequivocally that there can be no conditionalities for payment of the new Minimum wage.”
While saying that they were aware of surreptitious moves by some state governors to intimidate and coerce workers into receiving less that the N18,000 minimum wage, the unions threatened to counter the moves with a strike that would cripple social and economic activities in such states.
“We hereby serve notice that any state Government that indulges in this or induces an illicit agreement to pay less than N18,000, will have to contend with a most robust form of resistance ever in the annals of workers solidarity in our country,” they said. They called on unions in the public and private sectors to commence immediate sensitization of their members in preparedness for the impending strike.
Esele, in his remarks, foreclosed the possibility of dialogue with the government stressing that the strike would go on immediately after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum.
He challenged the Nigerian Governors Forum to show to Nigerians that they had some regard for the constitution of the country by implementing the Minimum Wage Act.
He said that labour would not bother itself to attend any meeting with the government that would not bring about the demanded enforcement of the Minimum Wage act.
Esele said, “If we are called 24 hours before the expiration of the two weeks deadline we are going to go ahead with our strike. What we expect is implementation; we have gone beyond any form of negotiation on this issue again.
“Let me ask a rhetorical question, if they are going to call us for a meeting, in that meeting are they going to go ahead and pay us N18, 000 right away? No!
“One thing is clear, because what we are talking about is an issue of law. So, there is no negotiation any more. It is like taking somebody to a court and deliver judgment, judgment is delivered based on the law, and the N18, 000 we are talking about is strictly based on the law.
“So, whether the governors are saying they are having one forum or whatever forum they are having, what we are saying is that governors should go ahead and showed that they respect the law.
“In the case of the Federal Government, the Salaries and Wages Commission has been unable or unwilling to produce a table for implementation to Federal Public Servants, and so the Federal Government has not implemented the law.
Also, lampooned the Salaries and Wages Commission for failing to produce a table for the implementation of the new wage structure for federal workers. They threatened to mobilise workers and other Nigerians to resist moves by government to increase the prices of petroleum products in the country under the guise of deregulating the downstream sector of the oil industry.
By Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
Reps fault appointment of special advisers by Jonathan
The House of Representatives on Thursday faulted
the appointment of 20 special advisers by President Goodluck Jonathan,
alleging a breach of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The Senate had reportedly approved the appointment of the SAs following a request Jonathan sent to them.
But, on Thursday, the House said in compliance with Section 151 of the constitution, the President was required to inform the House of his decision to appoint the SAs.
The section states, “The President may appoint any person as a Special Adviser to assist him in the performance of his functions.
“The number of such advisers and their remuneration and allowances shall be as prescribed by law or by resolution of the National Assembly.”
The immediate Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, had raised the alleged constitutional breach in a point of order.
Gbajabiamila, a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria from Lagos State, told the House that Jonathan wrote a letter to the Senate on the subject but ignored the House.
According to him, by appointing the SAs based on the approval of the Senate alone, the President has breached the constitution.
He said, “I am drawing attention to the provision of section 151 of the constitution.
“This constitutional provision stated that the President should seek approval from the National Assembly to appoint Special Advisers.
“But, I am not aware of any letter sent to this House in that regard.
“I have even heard that the Senate has approved that the President could appoint 20 advisers.
“I do not want to believe that there is any intention to undermine the House of Representatives, but I just want to ask that the House should ensure that the right thing is done.”
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, in a bid to douse tension, ruled to uphold the point of order raised by the ACN member.
“In upholding your point of order, I believe that it is more of an oversight than a deliberate attempt to undermine the House,” Ihedioha said.
By John Ameh, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
The Senate had reportedly approved the appointment of the SAs following a request Jonathan sent to them.
But, on Thursday, the House said in compliance with Section 151 of the constitution, the President was required to inform the House of his decision to appoint the SAs.
The section states, “The President may appoint any person as a Special Adviser to assist him in the performance of his functions.
“The number of such advisers and their remuneration and allowances shall be as prescribed by law or by resolution of the National Assembly.”
The immediate Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, had raised the alleged constitutional breach in a point of order.
Gbajabiamila, a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria from Lagos State, told the House that Jonathan wrote a letter to the Senate on the subject but ignored the House.
According to him, by appointing the SAs based on the approval of the Senate alone, the President has breached the constitution.
He said, “I am drawing attention to the provision of section 151 of the constitution.
“This constitutional provision stated that the President should seek approval from the National Assembly to appoint Special Advisers.
“But, I am not aware of any letter sent to this House in that regard.
“I have even heard that the Senate has approved that the President could appoint 20 advisers.
“I do not want to believe that there is any intention to undermine the House of Representatives, but I just want to ask that the House should ensure that the right thing is done.”
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, in a bid to douse tension, ruled to uphold the point of order raised by the ACN member.
“In upholding your point of order, I believe that it is more of an oversight than a deliberate attempt to undermine the House,” Ihedioha said.
By John Ameh, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
Tinubu advocates service-driven leadership in Africa
Former Lagos State Governor and a leader of the
Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Thursday called on
African leaders to service-driven leadership.
Tinubu, who was on his way back from Accra where he bagged the Maiden African Servant Leadership Award at the Ghana Graduate School of Leadership and Governance, told correspondents at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos that Africa was backward because of bad leadership.
He said, “In the entire Africa, we have always theorerised leadership, instead of canvassing leadership that is defined for the people, that has care and compassion, ability to chart a new course which will be for the common man, the down-trodden and lift millions out of poverty.
“If you look at Brazil, we were on the same level; today, they have been able to uplift their people, the standard of living and the purchasing power which is currently improving their economy, the creative nature of their country and the resources available.
“Why should we continue to misuse these abundant resources that God has given us and the human resources that are available to us? We continue to export our goods to bring back these items as finished products from other countries. Where are those industries that will create jobs and develop skills and the capacity of human beings?
“We have a huge market, huge material resources; we are blessed with good weather and we are not devastated by natural disasters but by man-made disaster in leadership.”
Tinubu noted that the continent and Nigeria in particular should examine why public office holders rule rather than lead.
He said, “Every time we study leadership, we should flip the coin upward and start to look at the reasons for bad leadership. We have been advocating good leadership all along, what is the cause of bad leadership? If we know the cause, then we can fight it.”
By Okechukwu Nnodim Courtesy Of: Punch
Tinubu, who was on his way back from Accra where he bagged the Maiden African Servant Leadership Award at the Ghana Graduate School of Leadership and Governance, told correspondents at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos that Africa was backward because of bad leadership.
He said, “In the entire Africa, we have always theorerised leadership, instead of canvassing leadership that is defined for the people, that has care and compassion, ability to chart a new course which will be for the common man, the down-trodden and lift millions out of poverty.
“If you look at Brazil, we were on the same level; today, they have been able to uplift their people, the standard of living and the purchasing power which is currently improving their economy, the creative nature of their country and the resources available.
“Why should we continue to misuse these abundant resources that God has given us and the human resources that are available to us? We continue to export our goods to bring back these items as finished products from other countries. Where are those industries that will create jobs and develop skills and the capacity of human beings?
“We have a huge market, huge material resources; we are blessed with good weather and we are not devastated by natural disasters but by man-made disaster in leadership.”
Tinubu noted that the continent and Nigeria in particular should examine why public office holders rule rather than lead.
He said, “Every time we study leadership, we should flip the coin upward and start to look at the reasons for bad leadership. We have been advocating good leadership all along, what is the cause of bad leadership? If we know the cause, then we can fight it.”
By Okechukwu Nnodim Courtesy Of: Punch
Reps to intervene
The House of Representatives on Thursday resolved
to constitute an ad-hoc committee to investigate the remote and
immediate causes of communal crises between the Tiv and Fulani herdsmen
in parts of Nasarawa and Benue State.
The Tiv and Fulani herdsmen in the states on June 18 engaged each other in a clash over farmlands and grazing area.
The House urged the Federal Government to create grazing lands in specific areas for the Fulani and for the National Emergency Management Agency to send relief materials to the victims.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
The Tiv and Fulani herdsmen in the states on June 18 engaged each other in a clash over farmlands and grazing area.
The House urged the Federal Government to create grazing lands in specific areas for the Fulani and for the National Emergency Management Agency to send relief materials to the victims.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
Judge to EFCC: Produce proof of N12bn pension scam
Justice Adamu Bello of a Federal High Court in
Abuja on Thursday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
to produce proof of evidence in a case filed by the anti-graft agency.
In the case, the EFCC accused persons and firms, including a former Director (Pension Administration) in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Sani Shuaibu, and a former Deputy Director (Finance and Accounts), Phina Chidi, of stealing N12bn from the pension office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
Counsel to the second accused person, Mr Chris Uche (SAN), had told the court that he had an oral application that would facilitate the trial of the accused persons.
Uche said, “The application is seeking for an order directing the prosecution to furnish the accused person with the proof of evidence.”
The application was not opposed by the counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Godwin Obla, who explained that though it was not the practice to avail the accused persons with the proof of evidence, he would do so as directed by the Court.
Obla said, in doing so, he had the right to produce further and additional material and that the EFCC had employed the services of forensic experts who have recalculated the amount involved in the scam.
He added that the anti-graft agency would consequently amend the charges to about 30 per cent without interfering with the substance of the charge.
Justice Adamu Bello thereafter granted the application and ordered the EFCC to produce the proof of evidence.
By Friday Olokor, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
In the case, the EFCC accused persons and firms, including a former Director (Pension Administration) in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Sani Shuaibu, and a former Deputy Director (Finance and Accounts), Phina Chidi, of stealing N12bn from the pension office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
Counsel to the second accused person, Mr Chris Uche (SAN), had told the court that he had an oral application that would facilitate the trial of the accused persons.
Uche said, “The application is seeking for an order directing the prosecution to furnish the accused person with the proof of evidence.”
The application was not opposed by the counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Godwin Obla, who explained that though it was not the practice to avail the accused persons with the proof of evidence, he would do so as directed by the Court.
Obla said, in doing so, he had the right to produce further and additional material and that the EFCC had employed the services of forensic experts who have recalculated the amount involved in the scam.
He added that the anti-graft agency would consequently amend the charges to about 30 per cent without interfering with the substance of the charge.
Justice Adamu Bello thereafter granted the application and ordered the EFCC to produce the proof of evidence.
By Friday Olokor, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
Judge warns naval officer over threat to life
A Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River
State, has cautioned Navy Captain Ibrahim Chomoko of the Eastern Naval
Command for allegedly threatening the lives of Mr. Joe Etene and his
lawyer, Mr. Wodah Ogar, over the case instituted by Etene against the
Navy.
Etene, a law lecturer with the University of Calabar and former member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, had dragged the Navy before the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Adetokunbo Ademola, on ‘Fundamental Right Abuse’ in suit No. FHC/CA/M88/2010.
The petitioner had alleged that he was assaulted and beaten to a state of coma by some naval ratings, forcing him to approach the court to seek redress for assault, abuse and enforcement of his fundamental human rights.
After hearing the matter, Justice Ademola granted the pleas of Etene and awarded the sum of N150m as damages against the Navy. The money is to be paid to the petitioner.
However, not satisfied with the judgment, the Navy took the matter to the Court of Appeal.
Etene’s Lawyer, Ogar, alleged that Chomoko, after the sitting at the Appeal Court on June 28, 2011, threatened to beat up his client (Etene), saying that if he had been at the scene when Etene was beaten, he would have supervised his killing.
He also allegedly warned Etene’s lawyer to watch his back.
But Chomoko denied any form of threat or harassment to the lives of Ogar and his client, adding that he was even the person, who was threatened by the petitioner.
On his part, Justice Ademola said nobody was above the law. He added that he was worried over the situation.
“I am a bit disturbed. These people (lawyers) have been coming to the court and I never heard any kind of complaint like this. They are not flippant and dangerous people,” he said.
By Mudiaga Affe, Calabar Courtesy Of: Punch
Etene, a law lecturer with the University of Calabar and former member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, had dragged the Navy before the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Adetokunbo Ademola, on ‘Fundamental Right Abuse’ in suit No. FHC/CA/M88/2010.
The petitioner had alleged that he was assaulted and beaten to a state of coma by some naval ratings, forcing him to approach the court to seek redress for assault, abuse and enforcement of his fundamental human rights.
After hearing the matter, Justice Ademola granted the pleas of Etene and awarded the sum of N150m as damages against the Navy. The money is to be paid to the petitioner.
However, not satisfied with the judgment, the Navy took the matter to the Court of Appeal.
Etene’s Lawyer, Ogar, alleged that Chomoko, after the sitting at the Appeal Court on June 28, 2011, threatened to beat up his client (Etene), saying that if he had been at the scene when Etene was beaten, he would have supervised his killing.
He also allegedly warned Etene’s lawyer to watch his back.
But Chomoko denied any form of threat or harassment to the lives of Ogar and his client, adding that he was even the person, who was threatened by the petitioner.
On his part, Justice Ademola said nobody was above the law. He added that he was worried over the situation.
“I am a bit disturbed. These people (lawyers) have been coming to the court and I never heard any kind of complaint like this. They are not flippant and dangerous people,” he said.
By Mudiaga Affe, Calabar Courtesy Of: Punch
Nnamani: EFCC seeks case transfer
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has
sought the transfer of the criminal trial involving a former Governor of
Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani, to another judge.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday before Justice Charles Archibong, the prosecution counsel, Kevin Uzozie, informed the judge that he had written a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, asking that the matter be transferred to another judge for hearing.
He said it was expedient to await the decision of the CJ on the matter.
But Nnamani’s lawyer, Rickey Tarfa SAN, told the court that he was only givena copy of the letter by the prosecution and was not copied as a lawyer representing the accused in court.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday before Justice Charles Archibong, the prosecution counsel, Kevin Uzozie, informed the judge that he had written a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, asking that the matter be transferred to another judge for hearing.
He said it was expedient to await the decision of the CJ on the matter.
But Nnamani’s lawyer, Rickey Tarfa SAN, told the court that he was only givena copy of the letter by the prosecution and was not copied as a lawyer representing the accused in court.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
‘Aganga deserves ministerial slot’
A section in the Lagos State chapter of the
Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday said the former Finance Minister,
Mr. Olusegun Aganga, deserved to be appointed a minister.
The group, in an apparent reply to the protest by some members of the party, said in a statement that the choice of the former finance minister was on merit, determined by his stewardship, and an appreciation by the president.
In the statement signed by Chief Abiodun Balogun, the group, under the banner of Lagos PDP for Renewal and Electoral Mandate, In a statement signed by Chief Abiodun Balogun, the group, under the banner of Lagos PDP for Renewal and Electoral Mandate, said the state executive erred in opposing Aganga’s nomination because “there were no justifiable grounds to do so.”
He said the minister did his best to support the party but all his efforts were wasted because the party was defeated in the last elections in Lagos State.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
The group, in an apparent reply to the protest by some members of the party, said in a statement that the choice of the former finance minister was on merit, determined by his stewardship, and an appreciation by the president.
In the statement signed by Chief Abiodun Balogun, the group, under the banner of Lagos PDP for Renewal and Electoral Mandate, In a statement signed by Chief Abiodun Balogun, the group, under the banner of Lagos PDP for Renewal and Electoral Mandate, said the state executive erred in opposing Aganga’s nomination because “there were no justifiable grounds to do so.”
He said the minister did his best to support the party but all his efforts were wasted because the party was defeated in the last elections in Lagos State.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
You inherited more assets than liabilities, Daniel tells Amosun
Former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga
Daniel, on Thursday said the assets inherited by the Action Congress of
Nigeria-led administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun in the state, far
outweighed the liabilities.
Amosun, had during his address to mark his 30 days in office on Wednesday, lamented the huge debt of N49.2bn inherited from the previous administration and condemned the concession of the state’s assets by Daniel’s administration.
But Daniel, who reacted through a former State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Sina Kawonise, accused Amosun of being economical with the truth.
In the reaction through a statement, the former governor challenged the incumbent to speak on the assets inherited which he argued far outweighed the liabilities.
“It is really sad that the governor, in order to hoodwink the people, only dwelt on the liabilities he inherited when a first year student of accounting is aware that there are two sides to an account, namely: assets and liabilities.
“Senator Amosun deliberately did not tell the people of Ogun State that he inherited assets far in excess of the liabilities. For instance, we are aware that because of the proactive policy of making Ogun State the first choice for investors, the free trade zones in Igbesa and Olokola are now yielding resources into the coffers of government.
“At the last count, the Free Trade Zone in Igbesa has industrial concerns that have directly employed more than 7,000 people with triple that figure in indirect employment. The industrialisation policies of the OGD-led administration brought to Ogun State, 66 companies with a combined direct investment in excess of N100bn.”
Daniel maintained that the Abeokuta City Centre land which was freed up after a new secretariat was built, would also yield an estimated N7bn for the government, apart from the multi billion naira OPIC Plaza Multi Purpose Events Centre in Isheri, a power project, about 30 housing estates and the three FIFA-rated stadia among others.
Daniel alerted the people of the state that Amosun’s outcry was to prepare their mind for the Bond Market, “which during our administration, he condemned and called ‘Bond of Bondage,’ the proceeds, which will be used to award contracts to godfathers and cronies, who funded his electoral campaign.”
By Francis Falola, Abeokuta Courtesy Of: Punch
Amosun, had during his address to mark his 30 days in office on Wednesday, lamented the huge debt of N49.2bn inherited from the previous administration and condemned the concession of the state’s assets by Daniel’s administration.
But Daniel, who reacted through a former State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Sina Kawonise, accused Amosun of being economical with the truth.
In the reaction through a statement, the former governor challenged the incumbent to speak on the assets inherited which he argued far outweighed the liabilities.
“It is really sad that the governor, in order to hoodwink the people, only dwelt on the liabilities he inherited when a first year student of accounting is aware that there are two sides to an account, namely: assets and liabilities.
“Senator Amosun deliberately did not tell the people of Ogun State that he inherited assets far in excess of the liabilities. For instance, we are aware that because of the proactive policy of making Ogun State the first choice for investors, the free trade zones in Igbesa and Olokola are now yielding resources into the coffers of government.
“At the last count, the Free Trade Zone in Igbesa has industrial concerns that have directly employed more than 7,000 people with triple that figure in indirect employment. The industrialisation policies of the OGD-led administration brought to Ogun State, 66 companies with a combined direct investment in excess of N100bn.”
Daniel maintained that the Abeokuta City Centre land which was freed up after a new secretariat was built, would also yield an estimated N7bn for the government, apart from the multi billion naira OPIC Plaza Multi Purpose Events Centre in Isheri, a power project, about 30 housing estates and the three FIFA-rated stadia among others.
Daniel alerted the people of the state that Amosun’s outcry was to prepare their mind for the Bond Market, “which during our administration, he condemned and called ‘Bond of Bondage,’ the proceeds, which will be used to award contracts to godfathers and cronies, who funded his electoral campaign.”
By Francis Falola, Abeokuta Courtesy Of: Punch
NURTW: Panel begins sitting
The Justice Olagoke Ige-led judicial panel of
enquiry set up by the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to
probe the crisis rocking the proscribed state council of the National
Union of Road Transport Workers is expected to begin its public sittings
next Thursday.
The purpose of the sittings is to afford members of the public the opportunity of airing their views on the likely causes and solutions to the incessant crisis.
The panel’s Secretary, Alhaji ‘Lere Omotoso, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital on Thursday said that the public sittings would hold at the House of Chiefs Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan and would be opened to all.
Omotoso said members of the public willing to submit memoranda to the panel have up till Monday to do so.
He explained that such memoranda which should be in 16 copies should be submitted in Room 20, Office of the Governor, Secretariat, Ibadan.
He stressed that all those who suffered any injury or damage to source of livelihood may appear in person to give oral evidence at the public sittings.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
The purpose of the sittings is to afford members of the public the opportunity of airing their views on the likely causes and solutions to the incessant crisis.
The panel’s Secretary, Alhaji ‘Lere Omotoso, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital on Thursday said that the public sittings would hold at the House of Chiefs Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan and would be opened to all.
Omotoso said members of the public willing to submit memoranda to the panel have up till Monday to do so.
He explained that such memoranda which should be in 16 copies should be submitted in Room 20, Office of the Governor, Secretariat, Ibadan.
He stressed that all those who suffered any injury or damage to source of livelihood may appear in person to give oral evidence at the public sittings.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
Delta rerun: Tribunal delivers judgment
The Delta State Election Petitions Tribunal will
on Saturday deliver its ruling on the merit of the governorship rerun
petition brought before it by Chief Great Ogboru of the Democratic
Peoples Party.
The petition is between the DPP governorship candidate in the court-ordered rerun and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan in the election held on January 6, 2011.
The tribunal had at its inaugural sitting on Thursday in Asaba, said it had just 30 days to deliver judgment on the matter.
The amendment to the 1999 constitution stipulates a 180-day timeline for tribunals to write judgments from the date of filing of election petition.
A three member panel was last month constituted to hear cases involving the governorship rerun and legislative elections in the state.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
The petition is between the DPP governorship candidate in the court-ordered rerun and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan in the election held on January 6, 2011.
The tribunal had at its inaugural sitting on Thursday in Asaba, said it had just 30 days to deliver judgment on the matter.
The amendment to the 1999 constitution stipulates a 180-day timeline for tribunals to write judgments from the date of filing of election petition.
A three member panel was last month constituted to hear cases involving the governorship rerun and legislative elections in the state.
By Agency Reporter Courtesy Of: Punch
Oyinlola’s administration visionless
Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has
described the seven and a half years tenure of former Governor
Olagunsoye Oyinlola as ‘visionless’
Speaking in Osogbo on Thursday, Aregbesola said the Oyinlola administration was colossal waste of resources, goodwill and manpower.
A statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, quoted the governor as saying that his successor and his cabinet only engaged in “useless jokes.”
According to Aregbesola, the ‘preoccupation” of the Oyinlola administration was “endless merrymaking while critical duties of state were left unattended to.”
The governor said the achievements of his government in the last seven months were incomparable with those of Oyinlola in the seven and a half it was in office.
He added that Oyinlola would be stoned if he attempted a road walk in the state.
The governor said, “When I read their litany on the pages of newspapers about the non-composition of my cabinet, I ask myself that these characters, shouting about the non-formation of my cabinet, what they did with their own cabinet when they were there other than useless jokes?
“What they ever discussed at that cabinet were issues on how to victimise one king or the other. Nothing reasonable was discussed at their cabinet beside mischief.
By Tunde Odesola, Osogbo Courtesy Of: Punch
Speaking in Osogbo on Thursday, Aregbesola said the Oyinlola administration was colossal waste of resources, goodwill and manpower.
A statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, quoted the governor as saying that his successor and his cabinet only engaged in “useless jokes.”
According to Aregbesola, the ‘preoccupation” of the Oyinlola administration was “endless merrymaking while critical duties of state were left unattended to.”
The governor said the achievements of his government in the last seven months were incomparable with those of Oyinlola in the seven and a half it was in office.
He added that Oyinlola would be stoned if he attempted a road walk in the state.
The governor said, “When I read their litany on the pages of newspapers about the non-composition of my cabinet, I ask myself that these characters, shouting about the non-formation of my cabinet, what they did with their own cabinet when they were there other than useless jokes?
“What they ever discussed at that cabinet were issues on how to victimise one king or the other. Nothing reasonable was discussed at their cabinet beside mischief.
By Tunde Odesola, Osogbo Courtesy Of: Punch
Vehicles from unauthorised dealers won’t be registered – Lagos
The Lagos State Government on Thursday said that
vehicles brought into the state through illegal routes and those
bought from individuals would henceforth not be registered in the state.
The government said that a tripartite arrangement in the state only allowed individuals to sell their vehicles to members of the public through registered motor vehicle dealers.
It added that any vehicle sold outside this arrangement would not be issued the change of ownership title at the Motor Licensing Offices.
The Permanent Secretary of Motor Vehicle Administration Agency Mr. Akin Hanson, who made the government position known to journalists, said only vehicles bought from registered auto dealers would henceforth be attended to.
“Unregistered individuals willing to sell either registered or fairly used imported vehicle to go through registered dealers as direct sales transaction is unlawful in the state,” he said.
Hanson also expressed dismay over what he called ‘indiscriminate’ display of vehicles for sale in the state, adding that the agency would soon begin a crackdown on defaulters.
The Permanent Secretary said that the way individuals and auto dealers displayed vehicles for sale at unregistered premises was becoming worrisome.
He observed that the act negated the law regulating the activities of motor vehicle and spare parts dealers in the state.
Hanson pointed accusing fingers at fuel stations and eateries, which he accused of allowing such display in their premises, describing them as chief culprits.
He said, “There are some individual who used roadsides and kerbs to display vehicles illegally. This attitude constitutes a nuisance to the environment, impedes the movement of pedestrians and free flow of the traffic.
“Before we act, we will embark on a campaign to enlighten the dealers on the law regulating sales of motor vehicle and spare parts in the state, which we have been discussing at our regular stakeholders’ meetings. It would be a sheer pretence for any auto or spare part dealer to feign ignorance of the law regulating the business.”
The Permanent Secretary warned the auto dealers not to take the ‘humane’ approach of the government in enforcing the law regulating auto business for granted and warned that the government had the capacity to enforce the law to the letter.
He said that the agency would soon publish names of defaulting dealers in the national dailies and then go ahead to prosecute them.
By Sesan Olufowobi Courtesy Of: Punch
The government said that a tripartite arrangement in the state only allowed individuals to sell their vehicles to members of the public through registered motor vehicle dealers.
It added that any vehicle sold outside this arrangement would not be issued the change of ownership title at the Motor Licensing Offices.
The Permanent Secretary of Motor Vehicle Administration Agency Mr. Akin Hanson, who made the government position known to journalists, said only vehicles bought from registered auto dealers would henceforth be attended to.
“Unregistered individuals willing to sell either registered or fairly used imported vehicle to go through registered dealers as direct sales transaction is unlawful in the state,” he said.
Hanson also expressed dismay over what he called ‘indiscriminate’ display of vehicles for sale in the state, adding that the agency would soon begin a crackdown on defaulters.
The Permanent Secretary said that the way individuals and auto dealers displayed vehicles for sale at unregistered premises was becoming worrisome.
He observed that the act negated the law regulating the activities of motor vehicle and spare parts dealers in the state.
Hanson pointed accusing fingers at fuel stations and eateries, which he accused of allowing such display in their premises, describing them as chief culprits.
He said, “There are some individual who used roadsides and kerbs to display vehicles illegally. This attitude constitutes a nuisance to the environment, impedes the movement of pedestrians and free flow of the traffic.
“Before we act, we will embark on a campaign to enlighten the dealers on the law regulating sales of motor vehicle and spare parts in the state, which we have been discussing at our regular stakeholders’ meetings. It would be a sheer pretence for any auto or spare part dealer to feign ignorance of the law regulating the business.”
The Permanent Secretary warned the auto dealers not to take the ‘humane’ approach of the government in enforcing the law regulating auto business for granted and warned that the government had the capacity to enforce the law to the letter.
He said that the agency would soon publish names of defaulting dealers in the national dailies and then go ahead to prosecute them.
By Sesan Olufowobi Courtesy Of: Punch
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