Unpaid Salary: Enugu workers to embark on strike

Workers in Enugu State have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over the state government’s failure to pay their monthly entitlements.

The President of the Trade Union Congress, Enugu State chapter, and Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Mr. Chukwuma Igbokwe, disclosed this in Enugu on Wednesday.

The salary scale of the worker was reviewed during the administration of former governor Sullivan Chime after the workers demanded an increase.

The workers, however, noted that that the recent review only showed an increase in their basic salary, without an increase in the percentage of other allowances.

They said that even though the salary scale was reviewed, the Chime government did not implement it on the grounds that there were no provisions for the new pay formula in the 2014 budget.

Although the reviewed salary scale was eventually given space in the 2015 budget, Enugu workers are still being paid according to the old scale, which they claimed makes them the least paid workforce in the country.

The workers are now demanding the immediate implementation of the reviewed salary scale.

They maintained that they have been cheated for over five years as a result of the discrepancies in the old scale.

Our correspondent gathered that the implementation of the reviewed salary scale was part of a list of outstanding demands the workers presented to the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, at a meeting on July 28.

The workers insisted that Ugwuanyi must implement the new salary scale, more especially as he had repeatedly stated that his administration was going to consolidate on the achievement of the previous government.

Our correspondent gathered that a meeting held between the workers and the governor did not reach a truce as the governor was said to have asked the workers to give him some time.

However, the workers believe they have waited for too long, and are threatening an indefinite strike.

In an exclusive chat with our correspondent, the TUC president, Igbokwe, said the adjusted salary scale should be implemented since it was captured in the 2015 budget.

Igbokwe said, “If we wait and they still refuse to implement it, we will go on an indefinite strike. It is not as if we are asking for salary increment. We met with the present governor and we said government is a continuum and you are talking of total continuity so give us our entitlements

“We are saying that people have been denied their allowances for over five years, when the minimum wage scale was prepared the adjustment did not recognise the increase in some allowances.

“You don’t increase basic salary without increasing the percentage of the allowances. That is why we are saying the adjusted scale was not really an increase. It was even the government that corrected it and brought it to us and we agreed that it should implement it. The government agreed to pay and said it was the right thing. The government, however, said it was not in the budget then. Now that it is captured in the budget of 2015, the governor is saying that we should give him time.”

Igbokwe did not give any indication of how long the workers were prepared to wait before embarking on the strike.

The workers are also demanding the recall of 12 employees of the Enugu State Housing Corporation, who were disengaged by the former managing director of the corporation, Chief Ikeje Asogwa.

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Unveil your economic plan now, LCCI urges Buhari

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry says it is not comfortable with the present approach of the Federal Government to economic issues, which has continued to diminish investors’ confidence.

It, therefore, demanded an immediate release of the economic blueprint of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, just as the council urged the government to constitute an economic team to facilitate the new policy direction.

These were the highpoints of the LCCI’s resolutions at its meeting held in Lagos on Wednesday, according to a communique signed by its Director-General, Mr. Muda Yusuf.

The meeting, which was presided over by its Chairman, Mr. Remi Aluko, deliberated on the state of the economy, the business and the economic conditions, and the fiscal outlook of the country.

It noted that there was no clarity yet in the policy direction of the government in relations to the economy, which it described as a major factor in investors’ confidence.

“The uncertainty that began in January this year seems to have lingered. Council urged the Buhari administration to make a clear pronouncement with respect to its fiscal policy, foreign exchange policy, tax policy, subsidy policy, trade policy, reform of oil and gas sector (upstream and downstream), the power sector, the 2015 budget, the auto policy, sectoral policies, etc. All these are necessary for investors to have a clear insight into the policy direction of the government and take strategic investment decisions,” it stated.

Although the LCCI acknowledged the efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria to protect the foreign reserves and stabilise the exchange rate, it disagreed with the bank’s strategies.

It said, “The current model of foreign exchange management by the CBN has profound negative consequences for investors’ confidence and the stability of the foreign exchange market.

“Council, therefore, calls for a more strategic framework for the management of the foreign exchange market. Council urged the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to quickly set up an economic team that will interface with the CBN, the organised private sector and the key economic ministries to come up with a sustainable model for the management of the foreign exchange market.”

The LCCI, which expressed concern over the weak capacity of state and local governments to meet their financial obligations, however, commended the recent intervention of the Federal government in mitigating the conditions.

“The current situation underscores the imperative of economic diversification and prudent management of state resources,” it stated.

It also commented on the new administration’s efforts at blocking all fiscal leakages and recovering looted funds, saying these were commendable and urged that appropriate structures and institutions “should be put in place at all levels of government to sustain the integrity and transparency of public sector transactions.”

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PDP crisis: Workers vow not to apologise

Aggrieved workers of the Peoples Democratic Party have vowed not to tender letters of apology as demanded by members of the National Working Committee of the party before discussions on how to end the ongoing crisis between them and members of the NWC would begin.

It was gathered that the members of the NWC at their weekly meeting on Wednesday reportedly directed the angry workers to write individual letters of apology and show remorse for their action before they could be listen to by the NWC.

One of the workers, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity said, “We we have been directed to write letters of apology and copy the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees; the National Executive Committee and the Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum before they could listen to us.

“The NWC members said they were sad that we have caused the party a lot of embarrassment; they complained that we ought to have channelled our grievances through the Director of Administration, who, in turn, will pass it through the National Secretary to the NWC – without our making the whole matter public.”

It was learnt that the NWC took the decision after its meeting with the management staff of the party, which was held at the Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja.

Since the crisis started, the NWC members have been avoiding the party’s national secretariat, located at Zone 5, Abuja.

Representatives of the workers who were at the meeting with the NWC members took their report to their colleagues at an emergency meeting held inside the NEC hall at the party’s secretariat.

At the meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, the workers said there was no need to apologise.

A source at the meeting stated that, “The Director of Administration, Bawa Gurama, counselled that we should sheathe our sword and comply with the NWC directives and await further action from the NWC.”

Findings revealed that though the angry workers admitted that they could be blamed for externalising the crisis, they, nevertheless, maintained that “they stand by the reply to the memo issued by the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, to them.

The source said, “We are not to be blamed for making the issue a public matter. It was the memo which the NWC leaked to the public through the National Secretary that led to our reaction.

“We will not apologise because we are not to blame for how it became a public issue. Therefore, we stand by the content of the reply to the National Secretary.”

It will be recalled that Oladipo had in a memo dated July 29, and directed to all directors and “PS/DD/HOD/SAs/PAs and Establishment Staff” of the party in Abuja, said the party was going to sack 50 per cent of its workers.

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Buhari rules out scrapping of NYSC scheme

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of scrapping the National Youth Service Corps as being suggested in some quarters.

This was just as the NYSC management was considering the option of making the scheme voluntary in order to reduce the intake of corps members.

There had been calls for the scrapping of the scheme since the outbreak of insurgency in parts of the country.

Insurgency had claimed the lives of some corps members in the northern parts of the country.

Proponents of the scrapping of the scheme had been arguing that the NYSC had outlived its usefulness.

But a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, quoted Buhari as pledging that his administration would take all necessary actions to maintain and improve the scheme as a functional vehicle for the promotion of national unity and integration.

Adesina said the President gave the assurance after receiving a briefing from officials of the Ministry of Youth Development led by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Rabi Jimeta.

The President was said to have affirmed his confidence and trust in the programme, saying that the objective for which the scheme was established in 1973 was still very relevant for national development.

“I firmly believe in the NYSC and I think it should remain a national programme to promote integration.

“Whenever I go home to Daura, I look out for corps members from Lagos, Aba and other parts of the country.

“I am always thrilled to learn that except for the NYSC, some of them have never left their states of origin to visit other cities in the country,” the President told the ministry’s officials.

Jimeta told the President that the increasing number of NYSC participants posed a challenge to the scheme due to the dwindling revenue from the national budget to cater for their needs.

She told the President that the annual enrolment of participants in the scheme had increased from 2,364 at inception in 1974 to 229,016 in 2014.

“Given the increasing number of tertiary institutions, our projection is that the number of corps participants may rise to 300,000 by year 2020,’’ she said.

Adesina also quoted the Director General of the NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, as telling the President that there were plans to make the scheme voluntary.

This, he said, Adewunmi explained was meant to reduce the corps population in order to make the programme more sustainable.

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Enugu approves three-week paternity leave

The Enugu State Government has amended its Civil Service rules to grant six months maternity leave to nursing mothers.

Interestingly, husbands whose wives might put to bed were also given a ‘paternity leave’, but it would only be for just three weeks.

The paternity leave was meant to give such husbands the opportunity to support their nursing wives, according to the state government.

Before, female workers who gave birth were entitled to three months maternity leave while the men whose wives delivered babies were not exempted from work.

Similarly, the state government also resolved that henceforth, nursing mothers were free to breast-feed their babies in offices during work hours.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sam Ngwu, who disclosed these in Enugu on Wednesday, said the new policy would strengthen the family as a social unit and also promote mother and child welfare.

Unveiling plans to mark the 2015 Breast Feeding Week in the state, Ngwu explained that the extension of the maternity leave would encourage nursing mothers in the state to engage in the internationally recommended four to six months exclusive breast feeding of newborn babies.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Moses Otiji, noted that the state has been marking ‘’the Breast Feeding Week’’ every year in order to galvanise support for nursing mothers.

Ngwu further explained that the theme of this year’s Breast Feeding Week – ‘Breast feeding and work, let’s make it happen’, was in line with the state government’s commitment to the needs of nursing mothers and newborns.

He said nursing mothers should be allowed to continuously breast feed their babies anywhere they work, whether in the private or public sector.

According to him, lectures would be organised for nursing mothers in the course of the breast feeding week to enable them learn more about exclusive breast feeding.

“The week is dedicated to draw the attention of the public on the need for exclusive breast feeding.

“The breast contains yellow milk that contains most of the vital ingredients for healthy growth of the baby.

“It protects the baby from diseases and promotes bonding between mother and child,” he added.

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Senate summons CBN governor over naira depreciation

The Senate on Wednesday passed a motion directing the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to appear before it to brief members on the state of the nation’s economy, especially the alarming naira depreciation.

The upper chamber gave the directive after an exhaustive debate on a motion moved by Senator Nazfiz Suleiman (Bauchi North) entitled: ‘The state of the economy: Naira depreciation and its implications’.

The senators also urged the Federal Government to step up efforts to diversify the nation’s economy to depend on taxation, agriculture, manufacturing, international tourism and solid mineral prospecting. Suleiman had in his lead debate noted with serious concern the state of the nation’s economy as it affected the continuous depreciation of the naira.

He expressed worry that naira had depreciated in the last few months at a much faster rate than it appreciated over the last two years.

The senator further argued that the depreciation was the consequence of the negative cash flow, which he said resulted from the downward trend of oil prices.

He added that the situation had been worsened by speculations in the foreign exchange market.

Suleiman also observed that the foreign exchange needs of various sectors of the economy were not being made available, while Nigeria’s commitments in the global economy had dwindled.

The senator also expressed concern that the Nigerian banking industry might be currently defaulting in the global economy, stressing that the situation had been sending a wrong signal about the state of the economy.

Suleiman also said the speculation caused by the situation was resulting in a huge capital flight, with the attendant inflationary consequence, which he said would affect an average Nigerian on the street.

“The illicit fund flows and money laundering going through Nigerian financial system contribute in weakening the value of the naira, which has made the recent decisions of CBN to increase its vigilance to ensure that Nigeria banks are not used as conduit for illicit fund flow and money laundering in foreign currencies,” he said.

He stressed the need to regulate the demand and supply of foreign exchange by the CBN with various options in order to curtail naira depreciation and discourage speculation.

In his contribution, the Minority Whip, Senator Philip Aduda, blamed the downward slide in the value of naira on the inability of the Federal Government to put in place stable economic policies.

Senator Gbolahan Dada (Ogun West) said if the situation must be effectively tackled, Nigeria must define its economic policies and make laws that would address fraud.

He lamented that the country’s dependence on imported items without tangible production had been the bane of a stable naira exchange rate.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said all powers must be deployed to defend the naira and that the influx of foreign items into the country must be adequately curtailed in a way that the activities of currency speculators would be brought under control.

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Court summons comptroller over refusal to produce ex-Mint boss

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Apo, Abuja, on Wednesday ordered the Deputy Comptroller of Prison, Kuje, Abuja, Musa Tanko, to appear in court on August 12 for refusing to produce detained former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Emmanuel Okoyomon.

Justice Valentine Ashi had, by an ex parte order upon an application by Okoyomon, directing the defendants in the suit – Deputy Comptroller in Charge of Medium Security Prison, Kuje, and Attorney General of the Federation – to produce him in court and show cause why he should not be granted bail.

But rather than obey the court’s order, the prison boss wrote directly to the judge, stating that Okoyomon was being held in Kuje prison by virtue of a remand order by the Court of Appeal.

The prison officer insisted that Okoyomon could only be produced in any court with the permission of the court that ordered his remand.

Justice Ashi, who got angry with the prison official’s position, described the conduct as a contempt of court and disobedience to a valid court order.

“The procedure adopted by the 1st respondent (Deputy Comptroller in Charge of Medium Security Prison, Kuje) is reprehensible and contemptuous of the court,” the judge said.

He added that the decision by the prison officer to write directly to him (the judge) was disrespectful of the institution of the court.

He then ordered the prison official to attend court on the next adjourned date to show the reason why he should not be imprisoned for contempt of court.

Lawyer to the AGF, Muslim Hassan, however apologised on behalf of the prison official and assured that the defendants held the court in high esteem.

Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on May 4, 2015 granted an application by the AGF for the extradition of Okoyomon to the United Kingdom, where he is wanted for bribery allegation involving officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008.

Okoyomon appealed the High Court decision at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

He also applied to the court for bail and stay of execution of the decision by Justice Chukwu.

But, in its ruling on June 26, the appellate court rejected the bail application on the ground that it was unmeritorious.

The appellate court however granted Okoyomon’s request for stay of execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, directing the Federal Government to proceed with his extradition.

Okoyomon then approached the FCT High Court again challenging his continued detention.

The Office of the Attorney General has faulted his new suit and accused him of misleading Justice Ashi into assuming jurisdiction over the case.

In the counter-affidavit and notice of preliminary objection filed for the AGF, it was argued that Okoyomon, having been detained on the order of the Court of Appeal, ought to either proceed to the Supreme Court or pursue his pending appeal. It urged the court to dismiss the case for lacking the jurisdiction to hear it.

The judge adjourned the case till August 12 for the hearing of the objection filed by the AGF and for the prison official to attend court and show cause why he should not be imprisoned for contempt.

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Ambode warns perm secs against compromise

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has warned civil servants, especially the permanent secretaries, in the state against compromise in the discharge of their duties to the people.

The governor said he would hold the permanent secretary liable in any ministry found to have compromised in the state.

Ambode spoke on Wednesday at the Lagos House, Ikeja, during the swearing-in of 19 new permanent secretaries.

He reminded the new accounting officers of the state ministries that the quality of service delivered by this government would be measured through them on daily basis.

He said, “Any ministry where the quality of service is compromised, the permanent secretary, as the accounting officer, would be held liable. I expect nothing but excellence in this centre of excellence.

“I expect you to apply the best tenets of the civil service in your roles as accounting officers of your ministries, making excellent service and the common good of all Lagosians your watchwords.

“Your appointments, from a pool of equally competent and qualified directors, were as a result of a careful selection based on merit, professionalism and proven track record of service to the state.”

The governor said during his inaugural address, he promised to carry out public sector reforms, adding that such could be seen in the merging and realignment of ministries and agencies, as well as the creation of new ones.

He said, “We have established the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, the Ministry of Overseas Affairs and Investment, and the Office of Civic Engagement to run an inclusive government and create better opportunities for our people.”

Ambode said the next phase was the constitution of cabinet to consolidate on the foundation that had been laid in the last 60 days.

Earlier, the Head of Service, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, who presented the new appointees to the governor, stated that the governor used exemplary performance and merit as core criteria for elevation into higher posts in the state public service.

“There is no doubt in my mind that with these appointments, a strong message has been sent across in the state public service by His Excellency that diligence, dedication, commitment, loyalty and hard work will ultimately be rewarded,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of others, Mrs. Adebunmi Adekanye, Permanent Secretary, Office of Civic Engagement, pledged that she and her colleagues would work to deliver quality service to move the state to the next level.

Other permanent secretaries and their portfolio ministries are: Folarin Adeyemi, Information and Strategy; Olabode Agoro, Lands Bureau; Ayodele Amosu, Teachers Establishment and Pension Office; Abiola Anifowoshe, Education District VI; Olabisi Ariyo, Education; Caster Bade-Adebowale, Office of the Chief of Staff; Boladele Dapo-Thomas, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Adebisi Kadiri, Economic Planning and Budget; Olorunfemi Mustapha, Science and Technology; Adesina Odeyemi, Public Service Office; Arinola Odulana, Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment; Adesola Odunlami, Justice; Olusola Odupitan, Audit Service Commission; Olanike Oduwole, Wealth Creation and Employment; Adesina Onisarotu, Environment and Nuriat Sodeinde, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations.

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Lagos releases 11bn for pension payment

The Lagos State Government has released N11bn to offset pension liabilities in arrears in the state since 2010.

The government said the move was to bring succour to all retirees in the Lagos State Public Service.

The Head of Service, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, on Wednesday in Alausa, Ikeja, said the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, had directed that the sum should be used to pay the pension liabilities of the Lagos State Government mainstream retirees and the retirees in local governments areas and parastatal organisations.

Jaji said, “The development is part of efforts put in place by the present administration to find a holistic solution to the issue of payment of pension entitlements to retirees under the pay-as-you-go pension scheme which was discontinued in April 2007, as well as outstanding accrued pension rights due to retirees under the contributory pension scheme.

The Head of Service said the government had developed a comprehensive payment plan to resolve all outstanding pension issues in the short, medium and long terms.

She said, “The short or immediate term plan is for pension payments to ministries, departments and agencies and parastatals, including local government areas and SUBEB, which will be made monthly commencing from August, 2015.”

Jaji said the efforts were the outcome of painstaking deliberations by the Public Service Pensions Office, the Lagos State Pensions Commission, the Head of Service and the governor to “reduce, if not totally clear,” the outstanding liabilities due to retirees in the mainstream public service, LGAs and parastatals in the state.

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CBN bans cash deposits into domiciliary accounts

The Central Bank of Nigeria has banned the payment of cash into domiciliary accounts in the country, TheCable reports.

In a circular released on Wednesday and signed by the Director of Trade and Exchange, CBN, Olakanmi Gbadamosi, the central bank said its action followed recent statements by individual banks suspending the payment of foreign currencies into domiciliary accounts.

Gbadamosi wrote, “The Central Bank of Nigeria has considered the recent statements by Deposit Money Banks concerning the large volume of foreign currencies in their vaults and the decision to stop accepting foreign currency cash deposits into customers’ domiciliary accounts as a welcome development.

“Therefore, in its continued efforts to stop illicit financial flows in the Nigerian banking system which aligns with the anti-money Laundering stance of the Federal Government, the CBN hereby prohibits from the date of this circular the acceptance of foreign currency cash deposits by DMBs.

“For foreign currency cash lodgements made prior to the date of this circular, the account holder has the option to either withdraw his or her foreign currency cash or the Naira equivalent. For the avoidance of doubt, only wire transfers to and from Domiciliary Accounts are henceforth permissible.

“The CBN advises individuals that wish to source foreign currency for eligible and legitimate purposes such as BTA, PTA medical, mortgage, school fees, goods etc. to do so through recognised channels with the use of Form ‘A’ for “invisible” and Form ‘M’ for ‘visible’ transactions. By this circular, those who deposited foreign currencies into their accounts before the directive will now have to withdraw the cash as they are not going to be allowed to transfer the funds.”

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Lagos releases 11bn for pension payment

The Lagos State Government has released N11bn to offset pension liabilities in arrears in the state since 2010.

The government said the move was to bring succour to all retirees in the Lagos State Public Service.

The Head of Service, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, on Wednesday in Alausa, Ikeja, said the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, had directed that the sum should be used to pay the pension liabilities of the Lagos State Government mainstream retirees and the retirees in local governments areas and parastatal organisations.

Jaji said, “The development is part of efforts put in place by the present administration to find a holistic solution to the issue of payment of pension entitlements to retirees under the pay-as-you-go pension scheme which was discontinued in April 2007, as well as outstanding accrued pension rights due to retirees under the contributory pension scheme.

The Head of Service said the government had developed a comprehensive payment plan to resolve all outstanding pension issues in the short, medium and long terms.

She said, “The short or immediate term plan is for pension payments to ministries, departments and agencies and parastatals, including local government areas and SUBEB, which will be made monthly commencing from August, 2015.”

Jaji said the efforts were the outcome of painstaking deliberations by the Public Service Pensions Office, the Lagos State Pensions Commission, the Head of Service and the governor to “reduce, if not totally clear,” the outstanding liabilities due to retirees in the mainstream public service, LGAs and parastatals in the state.

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Buhari fires eight NNPC group executive directors

Twenty-four hours after the Federal Government replaced the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, it announced the sacking of all the eight executive directors of the corporation.

This was confirmed by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, in a statement on Wednesday night in Abuja.

Alegbe said in the statement, “The Federal Government has approved the retirement of all eight group executive directors of the NNPC with immediate effect.

“The affected group executive directors are Mr. Bernard Otti, GED, Finance and Accounts; Dr. Timothy Okon, acting GED, Exploration and Production, who also doubled as the Coordinator, Corporate Planning & Strategy; Mr. Adebayo Ibirogba, Engineering and Technology; Dr. David Ige, Gas and Power; Ms. Aisha Abdurrahman, Commercial and Investment; Dr. Dan Efebo, Corporate Services; Mr. Ian Udoh, Refining & Petrochemicals; and Dr. Attahiru Yusuf, Business Development.”

The statement noted that the new Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, personally conveyed the Federal Government’s decision to the GEDs.

He expressed gratitude to them for their services to the corporation and wished them success in their future endeavours.

No replacements were named, but our correspondent gathered that four new group executive director positions had been created and that some names were already being considered by President Muhammadu Buhari to fill them.

Sources at the corporation gave the new directorates as of Refining and Engineering, Exploration and Production, Commercial and Investment, and Finance.

Buhari had a week ago, pledged to fix the oil sector, rid the industry of rot and recover money stolen by operators in the sector.

On Tuesday, he relieved Dr. Joseph Dawha of his appointment as the GMD of the national oil firm, replacing him with Kachikwu, who until his appointment was the Executive Vice Chairman and General Counsel of Exxon-Mobil (Africa).

The President had in late June dissolved the NNPC board.

The Federal Government, through the NNPC, regulates and participates in the country’s petroleum industry.

The NNPC was established on April 1, 1977 as a merger of the Nigerian National Oil Corporation and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel.

The law that created the firm permits it to manage the joint ventures between the Federal Government and some foreign multinational corporations, including Shell, Agip, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total.

Through the collaboration with the companies, the Federal Government conducts petroleum exploration and production.

But industry observers had on several occasions complained that the corporation lacked supervision, stressing that it had degenerated to a rent-collector for the government with less attention to transparency and accountability.

On Tuesday, the New York-based Natural Resources Governance Initiative canvassed the need to overhaul the management of the country’s oil sales process by the NNPC as top priority for the Buhari-led administration to stem waste and loss of billions of dollars in revenue.

The international watchdog said in one of its latest reports that the NNPC’s approach to oil sales was suffering from high corruption risks and had failed to maximise returns for the nation.

The authors of the NRGI report, led by Aaron Sayne, said, “We find that management of the NNPC’s oil sales has worsened in recent years, and particularly since 2010. The largest problems stem from the rising number of ad hoc, makeshift practices the corporation has introduced to work around its deeper structural problems.”

The NNPC receives about one million barrels of oil per day, or almost half of the country’s total production, part of which is sold to its subsidiary, Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, for the country’s refineries, while a larger volume is sold to traders.

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CBN bans cash deposits into domiciliary accounts

The Central Bank of Nigeria has banned the payment of cash into domiciliary accounts in the country, TheCable reports.

In a circular released on Wednesday and signed by the Director of Trade and Exchange, CBN, Olakanmi Gbadamosi, the central bank said its action followed recent statements by individual banks suspending the payment of foreign currencies into domiciliary accounts.

Gbadamosi wrote, “The Central Bank of Nigeria has considered the recent statements by Deposit Money Banks concerning the large volume of foreign currencies in their vaults and the decision to stop accepting foreign currency cash deposits into customers’ domiciliary accounts as a welcome development.

“Therefore, in its continued efforts to stop illicit financial flows in the Nigerian banking system which aligns with the anti-money Laundering stance of the Federal Government, the CBN hereby prohibits from the date of this circular the acceptance of foreign currency cash deposits by DMBs.

“For foreign currency cash lodgements made prior to the date of this circular, the account holder has the option to either withdraw his or her foreign currency cash or the Naira equivalent. For the avoidance of doubt, only wire transfers to and from Domiciliary Accounts are henceforth permissible.

“The CBN advises individuals that wish to source foreign currency for eligible and legitimate purposes such as BTA, PTA medical, mortgage, school fees, goods etc. to do so through recognised channels with the use of Form ‘A’ for “invisible” and Form ‘M’ for ‘visible’ transactions. By this circular, those who deposited foreign currencies into their accounts before the directive will now have to withdraw the cash as they are not going to be allowed to transfer the funds.”

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Tribunal dismisses four petitions against Wike’s election

The Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja has dismissed four out of the five petitions filed to challenge the election of Chief Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party as the governor of the state.

The only surviving petition challenging the declaration of Wike as the winner of the April 11 election is the one filed by the All Progressives Congress and its governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

Though, one of the four petitions marked EPT/RV/GOV/05/2015 was voluntarily withdrawn by the petitioner, Kemka Elenwo, who was KOWA Party’s governorship candidate in the election, the three others were dismissed on technical grounds based on the application by Wike and the PDP.

The Justice Mu’azu Pindiga-led tribunal on Wednesday dismissed the fourth petition marked EPT/RV/GOV/03/2015 which was filed by Minaibim Harry of the Social Democratic Party on the grounds that the petition was incompetent.

The tribunal held that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the petition since the two grounds on which it was anchored were defective because they were not in strict compliance with the provisions of Section 138(1) (a) to (d) of the Electoral Act.

The said provision of the Electoral Act prescribes the grounds on which an election petition can be filed.

Other petitions that have been dismissed by the tribunal include the one filed by the Labour Party (EPT/RV/GOV/01/2015) and another by the All Progressive Grand Alliance and its candidate, Charles Harry, (EPT/RV/GOV/02/2015).

In its ruling on July 31, Justice Pindiga, who dismissed the petition by the Labour Party which fielded Tonye Princewill in the April 11 election, held that the party did not have a candidate for the election having not complied with the requirement under Section 85(1) of the Electoral Act (EA) 2010.

It noted that the notice given by the petitioner to INEC of its intention to conduct a primary election from which the petitioner’s candidate purportedly emerged “is less than the mandatory 21 days required by Section 85(1) of the Electoral Act.

“By implication, the effect of this non-compliance, is that no valid primary election was conducted and held by the petitioner and its purported candidate.”

The tribunal also found that the petitioner did not comply with the required procedure for applying for the issuance of pre-hearing notice, a default which rendered the petition inconsequential.

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12 year old calls 911 from closet during home invasion

A 12 year old Arizona boy hid in the closet as two men invaded his family’s home, a recently released 911 call reveals.

The boy, who was not identified, can be heard on the call telling the 911 operator to “Please get help,” as the suspected burglars kicked in the back door of his Scottsdale home on Monday.

“They're trying to break down the door right now…I can hear them,” the boy says on the call.

“I think they might be inside,” he says, also whispering that he is in a bedroom closet. “Please send help.”

The suspects first knocked on the door of the boy’s home Monday morning, but the 12-year-old did not answer.

The boy, who was home alone at the time, listened to the suspects rummage around his house for 15 minutes while the 911 operator stayed on the phone as his lifeline.

“Does it still sound like they’re in the bedroom with you,” the 911 operator asks.

“No, I think they’re in the kitchen right now,” the boy responds.

The scary situation turned even more terrifying when the boy came face-to-face with the suspects.

“Please don’t hurt me,” the boy says.

“Did they open the door,” the 911 operator asks.

“Yes, they’re running. They’re running ... they saw me. ... What do I do? What do I do?,” the boy replies.

 

By the time the suspects left the boy’s home, police had the home surrounded.

 

According to the Scottsdale Police Department, Robbie Jay Johnson Jr., 36, and Cole Austin Lewallen, 31, were arrested and charged with multiple felonies.

 

Investigators say both men have criminal records.

 

The boy was not hurt in the incident.

 

 

ABC News

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The Deplorable state of Owerri-Aba Road, Ugwunagbor, Abia State

This is the deplorable state of Owerri-Aba Road, Ugwunagbor, Aba, Abia State. It's learnt that this road links the road to the home of a former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Hon. Emeka Nwogu. More photos after the cut..

 

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Probe your election sponsors first, Fayose tells Buhari

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to start his anti-corruption fight by probing those that sponsored his election to reveal their sources of income.

Fayose said, “Some of those who sponsored the President’s election have not done any other jobs apart from holding public offices. Yet, they provided private jets and funds with which the President campaigned across the length and breadth of Nigeria. He should let Nigerians know where they got money to buy private jets and the several billions of naira spent on his election.

“No one sits with corruption to fight corruption because as it is today, President Buhari is sitting among corrupt people and he must first extricate himself from the comity of corruption”.

Fayose, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, on Wednesday took a swipe at the Federal Government anti-corruption drive, describing it as mere noise-making, witch-hunt and diversionary tactic to hoodwink the public into overlooking the seeming failure of the government to deliver on its electoral promises.

The governor said, “If President Mohammadu Buhari knows exactly where the stolen funds are kept and who looted the funds, he does not need all these public announcements. Rather, he should make public names of the looters and bring back the purported stolen funds, location of which he has identified. It is when he is able to bring back the money that he should make announcements of recovered funds.

“You don’t announce a process to the public; rather, you announce the results because that is what is of interest to the people. It is like you are announcing that you know where armed robbers reside, won’t they change their location?

“What the All Progressives Congress spin-doctors and their collaborators in the Presidency are doing is simple. It is such that when there is nothing to tell the people as per the rising Boko Haram attacks, dollar and other foreign currencies exchange rates, petrol pump price and other seeming failed promises of the APC Federal Government, they will accuse former President Goodluck Jonathan and his men of corruption, insult Peoples Democratic Party and make noise about fighting corruption.”

He said President Buhari and his men should know that Nigeria of today is different from that of 1983 and that unlike 1983, nothing could prevent them from asking questions.

“Mr. President and his men should know that these planned efforts to brand PDP as a party of corrupt people and suppress the giant strides of the Jonathan administration won’t work because Nigerians know that APC is peopled with more corrupt people and the President must treat the issue of corruption without looking at political parties.”

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