The Governor of Ekiti State, who doubles as chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took time off to crack some jokes at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, on ways to collectively tackle the lingering security challenges in the country.
Governors of the 36 States in Nigeria in a group photo with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo after an enlarged security meeting today, June 7, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Even President Buhari cracks jokes with Vice President Osinbajo at the meeting, as Governors of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje (by Osinbajo’s right); Ondo State Governor, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (in dark glasses), and others admire the presidential jokes.
A few days after taking over as Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-olu has confessed that it is not a tea party governing the State. He told inquisitive news men at the Presidential Villa Abuja after an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari today, June 7, that the experience he has got so far is real, adding that it shows that the challenges are real. “It is not a tea party. You don’t sleep and wake up and the traffic has gone down; you don’t sleep and wake up and there is no rain and that you have resolved Apapa gridlock. It is real. So, it is something that one has to be psychologically prepared for. So the best thing to do is to ensure that you are not about looking for what the other person did but it is for Lagosians to see you do what you said you are going to do for them.
“You don’t do it from the office; you have to do it from the road. You have to do it so that people will see and truly know that you mean business. “I dare say that I have lost weight and probably I will lose a little bit more but I think it’s what the job entails (which) is to also ensure that you have the right team of people that would support you. So when as a leader, you show that leadership support, then the message itself will trickle down and trickle down very well and that is why we have to take that very bold idea and you are going to see a lot.” On the level of progress on the notorious Apapa gridlock, the new governor said that it is a work in progress. “If you go to Lagos now, you will see that they have started clearing it.
“So for us, it’s not just to do it but to ensure that we sustain it. So sustainability is critical.
“It is to build a model where it’s sustainable and we are not also involving the big players we are also discussing with them – the shippers council, the shipping lines, NPA, NIMASA and all of them that are stakeholders in the conversations around port utility, we are settling it. We will continue to engage ourselves and come up with a sustained resolution not just a one off.” On the issue of security, the Lagos governor said that since security is everybody’s business, he as governor has a major responsibility to ensure that security of lives and properties is paramount as the chief executive officer of a state. “But beyond the fact that everybody has some responsibilities or the other, just as a father has his kids, a wife is to her children as Managing Director to his staff and so also the state Governor to the entire state. “So It is a work in progress for us as a state and for me in particular. It is something that I take very seriously. We are not just to be mouthing it but we will make sure that we put resources in place and strategies. We have been talking about domesticating and pushing part of the initiatives around security trust fund that we have done. We will continue to engage, and continue to identify what are the sources: what are the underlining issues that is bringing about it: are they economic? Is it more than that? So that we will also attack the root cause.
“It is something for us as a government that is looking for investors. We certainly must continue to be in a position where we can give confidence to all our investors that it is a safe haven to come and invest. “So for me it is important; it is paramount and I thank Mr. President for calling us to have this conversation.” The governor lamented the rising cases of kidnapping and banditry in the south west, and said that he and his colleagues will work hard with regional cooperation to find practical solution. “It is still work in progress and we have a south west leaders who I am sure have also addressed the press on the matter. I don’t want to be at the risk of pre-empting what that body will do. Let us wait for them to come up with a proper action plan at the regional level and let’s see what solution it will come with.”
Owner of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi has dragged the Federal Government to an Abuja Federal High Court over the action of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) which shut down the African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power FM radio station yesterday, June 6.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, who was the presiding judge in the suit challenging the suspension of the licence of the media group and the shutting down of same, quickly granted the motion experte, asking that status quo be maintained until the suit is heard.
The judge however, rejected DAAR’s two prayers, seeking restraining orders against the respondents – NBC, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC) and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
NBC Director General, Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, had yesterday, June 6, announced the shutdown of the AIT and Ray Power FM radio, saying that the action was taken for failure of the broadcasting station to abide by the broadcasting code.
NBC had earlier queried AIT over the use of social media comments in one of its programmes, Kakaaki, and ‘unprofessional’ conducts by the media house.
However, Justice Ekwo said that DAAR would be penalised should it turn out, at the end of the day, that the order ought not to have been made.
The judge said that the issues raised in the application by DAAR Communications, showed that the respondents deserved to be heard.
He ordered the respondents – NBC, FMIC, AGF – “to appear in court on the next date to show cause why the prayers in the applicant’s motion should not be granted.”
One would imagine that business papers like to dwell on economic success stories; apparently not. Instead, they feast and thrive on negatives. Financial Times, for instance, is worried about a government policy that is enabling boom in rice production in Nigeria. And theEconomist is panicky about toothpick manufacturers springing up following tariffs that protect local manufacturers to get off the ground and compete globally.
Both papers only see negatives. Specifically, Economist dwells on out-of-date statistics. Deliberately it turns away from the positives as it will complicate already tailored narratives. Some foreign correspondents keep the storyline simple: Africa is home for all bad things: poverty, disease and crime. And unremitting bleakness lives on the continent, and success is the aberration.
Since only negative reports on Africa make it to the international media, a backward picture of a nation is painted succinctly and efforts at growth in different ramifications, both investment and diplomacy are ignored. From the content of these stories, readers must be baffled that Nigerians know toothpicks, let alone be able to manufacture them.
The fact remains that with squeeze in media budgets there are not enough knowledgeable foreign correspondents based on the continent to report accurate news and uphold journalistic standards. And the parachuting style clearly defies ethics and quality. To cut cost, many media houses rely on the expedience of technology. The highly revered and sacrosanct fact-checking skill of journalism slips as a result. Anyone with a laptop is trusted as credible source. Cogent arguments no longer have a place, instead, we have jumbled and emotive criticisms.
For instance, the Financial Times declares proudly that President Buhari failed to spur rice growing, whilst stating that production was at record levels up 60 per cent in 2018 from what we had in 2013. TheEconomist talks about overdependence on oil, yet criticises policies such as subsidies or financial incentives that allow local businesses to compete and diversify the economy. It frowns at power shortfalls, but turns around to attack Alhaji Aliko Dangote – the man building the world’s largest oil refinery and improving power infrastructure in Nigeria.
Fundamentally, the foreign correspondents fail to appreciate context – understandably if they have to cover a large “patch’’ with shoe-string budgets, but never-the-less it is impermissible as facts must remain sacred. TheEconomist states that the economy was “sputtering’’ when President Buhari’s first term began in 2015, and still concluded he made a “bad situation worse”. “Sputtering’’ sounds euphemistic. The reality is that the economy was on its knees. The overdependence on oil, paired with impending global commodity crash, made the entry into recession at the beginning of the term inevitable. Now, however, the first quarter growth of 2019 has been the strongest.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently said analysts and onlookers must recognise “how deep the shock” was to the economy. As a famous American business magnate observed: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” Indeed, Nigeria had been awash in oil dollars (over $100 a barrel), yet previous governments failed to add muscle to the economy.
Since the recession struck (crude oil went below $40 per barrel), the government has taken measures to redress weaknesses in our economy. The IMF goes on to praise the strong diversification in the economy and welcome the focus on public investment. For instance, the government has spent record figures on infrastructure in the past two years and capital expenditure is now around 30 per cent of the budget, rather than inadequate 10 per cent in 2015.
There has also been a drive to self-sufficiency where possible. It makes no sense for Nigeria to import rice, yet foreign shipments were dumped to maintain dependency. Farmers needed help: strategic tariffs were applied to allow for initial competition, whilst the Central Bank of Nigeria financial initiatives allowed growers to access capital for fertilizer and equipment. Over the past three years, production has risen year-on-year. Nigeria, as of 2018, is Africa’s largest producer of rice. Self-sufficiency has almost been attained.
From reading some foreign articles, you would be surprised to find these success stories mentioned; amazed that anyone would cheer the decision on tariffs to ward off desolation. And the failure to see or present any achievement perpetuates stereotypes that serve as disincentives to Foreign Direct Investment and partnership.
Granted, there are challenges in Nigeria. The country is a large and diverse nation with structural challenges that have been passed down through decades. But foreign reports ignore the complexity, and instead offer platitudes as solutions. This diminishes the difficulties facing those in governance: they must merely “stamp out corruption” or “improve governance” – common advice amongst those quick to criticise, but barren in tangible and measurable solutions.
Similarly, we are told to “harness the vim of Nigerians’’ – which is true. But this seems obvious as to even need mentioning. It is – to be sure – how you do that. We in governance have no illusion about this. Vim is harnessed when a nation has decent infrastructure that connects the economy, and thousands of miles of road have been constructed, as well as the expansion and upgrading of colonial-era railway network. When children have good education; we are currently ensuring 9 million free school meals daily across the nation and it has boosted enrolment and attendance. And when business reforms create enabling environment; already Nigeria has gone up 24 places in Ease of Doing Business ranking since 2018, and the country is currently one of the top 10 global reformers, which is good news!
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media & Publicity.
A 42 year old German nurse, Niels Hoegel, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a court found him guilty of having murdered 85 patients while working in a hospital.
Hoegel had earlier admitted to killing patients with lethal injections and was already serving a life sentence after being found guilty in 2015 of murdering two people.
The Judge, who read the judgment today, June 6, Sebastian Buehrmann said: “it seemed to me that I was death’s bookkeeper.”
The verdict marked the climax of a seven-month trial that drew global attention, in what is thought to be the worst serial murder case in post-war Germany.
According to a psychological report submitted to the court in April, Hoegel showed signs of a disturbed personality, including a lack of shame, guilt, regret and empathy.
“His patients’ condition would suddenly deteriorate; alarms would go off and Hoegel was the first at the bedside to initiate life-saving treatment.
“And, he was good at it and seemed that he yearned for the acknowledgement of his colleagues,’’ the report said.
Buehrmann highlighted a case directly after Hoegel’s daughter was born, saying “soon afterwards, the nurse struck again, by manipulating his patient’s medication.’’
“You wanted to hang on to that feeling of happiness, by sending another person to their death,’’ the judge said.
The killing spree ended in 2005 when another nurse caught him in the act of injecting medication that had not been prescribed into a patient.
In his final words to the court on Wednesday, Hoegel asked for forgiveness from the relatives of his victims, saying that the trial on his “terrible crimes’’ had brought him much suffering.
His defence team asked for 55 murders to be considered and 14 attempted murders, calling for acquittal in 31 cases, while prosecutors saw murder proved in 97 cases.
Hoegel initially selected his victims carefully in hospitals in the cities of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst in north-western Germany, injecting them with medication that led to heart failure or other complications between 2000 and 2005. But his killings later became random.
Prosecutors claimed he did this so he could try to resuscitate them, motivated by boredom or a desire to impress his colleagues with his medical skills.
Noting the seriousness of the case, the court virtually ruled out release from prison after 15 years, as is usual practice in Germany.
The charge sheet originally listed 100 murders, of which Hoegel admitted 43. He was acquitted in 15 cases.
Referring to these cases, Buehrmann said of the relatives: “we leave you with doubts that are surely painful for you, but we have at this point to disappoint you.’’
Frank Brinkers lost his father, but is one of those who remained in uncertainty.
“This is very, very bitter. I’ve been through hell, and it’s difficult to bear.’’
Brinkers had hoped for final clarity, but “apparently it was not to be,” he said after the case was concluded.
Senator representing Ebonyi central senatorial district in the out-gone 8 Senate, Senator Obinna Ogba, has likened the leadership style of the former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki to the Nigeria’s late military Head of State, General Sani Abacha
At the valedictory session of the Senate today, June 6, Senator Ogba lamented how members of the 8th Senate allowed ethnic sentiments, geopolitical zones and political parties to divide them as a chamber.
“In this chamber, you find the good, the bad and the ugly but Nigeria is represented here. What I noticed in this eighth assembly is that there are people who do not see anything good except in their zones.
“We are not supposed to belong to any political party, zones or religion here. The earlier we changed that attitude, it will be better for this country.”
Senator Ogba commended the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, whom he described as possessing leadership qualities.
“Mr. President, I want to thank the leadership of the Senate, particularly Senator Bukola Saraki and your humble self, Dr Ike Ekweremadu.
“I am one of those who believe that many people can say what they like but Sani Abacha is a president that we have never seen. You may like it, you may not like it but I will liken Saraki leadership to that of Abacha.
“Abacha is a very good man, no matter what they are saying about him. People are condemning him today are worse. Things that he did not do but time shall tell. During Abacha we don’t have security problem like this and so many things the man did.
“Wherever the man is, God will continue to bless him. He is the one that gave us Ebonyi state. God will continue to bless him and you too (Saraki).”.
Bayero University Kano (BUK), has announced the conferment of an honorary doctorate of Business on a foremost Nigeria’s business leader, philanthropist and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu at its convocation scheduled for June 15.
The honorary degree has already been approved by both the Senate and the Governing Council of the university.
In a letter addressed to Tony Elumelu, the Institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Yahuza Bello said that the honor is in recognition of his innumerable and worthy contribution to the country as an economist, an entrepreneur, and a philanthropist.
The Vice-Chancellor said in the letter: “your philanthropic activities through the Tony Elumelu Foundation have reached every nook and corner of our nation and have impacted positively on many lives.
“Your efforts in the area of entrepreneurship are making immense contributions to the economy.”
Elumelu had earned bachelor’s degree in economics from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and a Master of Science degree from the University of Lagos. He also received a Master’s degree from Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Tony O. Elumelu is an investor and philanthropist.
In 2011, he conceived the term Africapitalism, which has catalyzed the African entrepreneurial landscape, positioning the private sector as the engine for growth and empowerment, and prioritizing social and economic wealth creation.
In 1997, Tony founded Standard Trust Bank, which grew to be the fifth ranked bank in a 90-bank industry, in 8 (eight) years.
In 2005, Tony led the merger between Standard Trust Bank and the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which at the time was sub-Saharan Africa ex South Africa’s largest financial services transaction.
He became Chief Executive of the new group, implementing a Pan-African strategy that created one of Africa’s largest financial services groups. He serves as the Chairman of the UBA Group, now present in twenty African countries, Paris, London and New York, and the only African bank with a deposit taking presence in the United States.
He is the Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, a family-owned investment company, committed to improving lives and transforming Africa. Heirs Holdings’ portfolio spans the power, oil and gas, financial services, hospitality, real estate and healthcare sectors, operating in twenty-three countries worldwide.
He also chairs Nigeria’s largest quoted conglomerate, Transcorp, whose subsidiaries include Transcorp Power, the largest generator of electricity in Nigeria. Tony is the most prominent champion of entrepreneurship in Africa.
In 2010, he created The Tony Elumelu Foundation, the leading philanthropic organization empowering African entrepreneurs and promoting entrepreneurship in Africa. The Foundation’s flagship initiative, the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, is a 10-year, $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 African entrepreneurs. The Foundation’s mission is inspired by Tony’s economic philosophy of Africapitalism.
Tony sits on a number of public and social sector boards, including the international advisory board of the Washington DC based think tank, the Wilson Center, and on the board of UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited. Tony also serves on the Global Advisory Council of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Centre for Public Leadership. He is a member of the World Economic Forum Community of Chairmen. Source: Per Second News
The oil licence regulatory body under President Muhammadu Buhari government, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has revoked five Oil Mining Licences (OML) and one Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) belonging to five companies.
In a public notice issued today, June 6, DPR said that the revocation was based on a presidential directive to “recover legacy debts” owed by the companies operating the licences.
The five companies affected are: Pan Ocean Oil Corporation (OML 98); Allied Energy Resources Nigeria (OML 120 and 121); Express Petroleum and Gas Company (OML 108); Cavendish Petroleum Nigeria (OML 110) and Summit Oil International (OPL 206)
Summit Oil is owned by the family of late Chief M.K.O. Abiola.
Pan Ocean had planned to commence the production of oil and gas from OML-147 at Owa Aladima.
OML 147 is one of the northern most development in the Niger Delta, and also the first to be on production among the 2007 bid rounds.
The firm’s three projects which will be ready for unveiling at the technical start up taking place June 10, 2019, is expected to contribute significantly to Nigerian industrialisation and economic growth, on the highway one part and empowerment of the host and impacted communities.
The former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, had last February announced plans to recover the oil licenses of the companies indebted to it.
He expressed worry that some of the companies has failed to make statutory remittances in spite of being in Joint Operatorship (JV) with the Federal Government, a development he said was denying it revenue running into billions of dollars.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has shut down the African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power FM, belonging to the Daar Communications Limited, even as the owner of the media houses, Chief Raymond Dokpesi has kicked, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the NBC Director General, Malam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu.
At a news briefing today, June 6, the NBC boss said that the AIT and its Radio version were shut down after suspending their operating licences because they aired a Presidential election documentary when the matter is still pending before a tribunal.
Modibbo Kawu also accused the media houses of failure to pay the operating fees and that they used “divisive and inciting contents from the social media” among others.
Below is the full text of the press conference by Moddibbo Kawu:
Following monitoring reports and complaints from concerned Nigerians about the broadcast contents of Daar Communications Plc’s AIT/Raypower broadcast stations, the NBC have over the last 2 years summoned on several occasions management of the company to address issues regarding the operations of AIT/Raypower with the company, particularly, Political Platform and Kakaaki aired on AIT.
In one of our meetings, held on 2nd June, 2017, the Commission expressed its disappointment with the way and manner Hate Speech, divisive and inciting comments are applied in discussion of national issues in breach of the provisions of the NBC Act and Broadcast Code.
Again, on 15th August, 2017, it became imperative to invite the company for yet another meeting on almost same issues. Furthermore, while addressing another meeting on 7th February, 2018 we highlighted issues of concern to the Commission which indicated that the company had been breaching the provisions of Sections 3.1.2 and 3.1.3 of the broadcast Code. The company’s delegates in their response promised to abate the breaches and comply with the law.
However, on October 18, 2018, the Commission was disturbed with the manner in which social media issues became part of the mainstream media unedited on AIT/Raypower, and was constrained to issue a generic letter to all broadcast stations on the need to exercise caution in the use of user generated content from the social media knowing how volatile and misleading the social media has become. The management of Daar Communication Plc thereafter took to the social media to display our official correspondences.
Recently, the Commission’s monitoring reports on AIT/Raypower indicate the use of divisive comments accredited to the segment of “Kakaaki”, tagged, “Kakaaki Social”, where inciting comments like, “Nigeria is cursed, we declare independent state of Niger Delta”, “Nigeria irritates me”, “this country is gradually Islamizing” and other similar slogans are used without editorial control in breach of the broadcast Code. We were therefore constrained to issue Daar Communication letters of warning dated May 27th, 2019.
We also observed from monitoring reports that a documentary on the Presidential Election Tribunal, a pending election petition matter aired on AIT on Wednesday and Thursday, 22nd and 23rd May, 2019 without regard to the provisions of the Broadcast Code. The Commission, in line with its regulatory powers again cautioned AIT in another letter also dated 27th May, 2019.
However, instead of making amends, the management of Daar Communications Plc resorted to the use of media propaganda against the regulator. Even the letters from the NBC were posted on social media platforms.
Needless to state that Daar Communications have over the years turned themselves into a bad example of how a professional broadcast outfit should not be run.
In their relationship with the NBC, Daar Communications carry on, as if it is beyond the regulatory direction of the Commission. They don’t pay their licence fees as and when due.
Its broadcast is patently partisan and one sided and deliberately inciting and heating the polity. The management of the Company has created the habit of using the channel to fight its personal battles contrary to the statutory requirements of the law.
SHUT DOWN ORDER
Today the 6th of June, 2019, AIT/Rapower embarked on use of inflammatory, divisive, inciting broadcasts, and media propaganda against the government and, the NBC for performing its statutory functions of regulating the broadcast industry in Nigeria.
Consequently, after several meetings with management of Daar Communications Plc and many letters of warning. The NBC, today 6th June, 2019 took a decision to suspend the licence of Daar Communications Plc for failure to abide by the Commission’s directives, the provisions of the NBC Act Cap N11
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
This decision is based on the provisions of Section 10 of the Third Schedule of the NBC Act Cap N11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which states as follows:
(d) where in the opinion of the Commission the station has been used in a manner detrimental to national interest.
(g) where there is wilful or repeated failure to operate
substantially as set forth in the licence
(h), where there is wilful or repeated violation or wilful or repeated failure to observe any provision of this Act or any rule or regulation of the Commission authorised by this Act or by a treaty ratified by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
(i), where there is violation of or failure to observe any cease and desist order issued by the Commission;
(k), where a provision of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code has been seriously breached; and
The SHUT DOWN order is until further notice.
Reacting immediately to the development at a world press conference, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, alleged witch hunt of the AIT by Modibbo Kawu, asking the Presidency to remove him from office in the collective interest of the nation’s broadcast industry.
He described the actions of the NBC Director General as persecution of his media establishment, adding that there were deliberate moves by him to gag AIT and other privately owned broadcast stations in the country.
Dokpesi accused Modibbo Kawu of creating a siege mentality on the AIT and others and that he had turned the regulatory role of the NBC into a partisan weapon against private broadcast stations perceived not to be pandering to the whims of the government of the day.
He cited an instance where Modibbo Kawu unilaterally increased broadcast licensing fees to N500 million for privately owned broadcast stations against the N10 million charged federal and state owned stations.
Dokpesi said that despite intervention by notable stakeholders, including the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Kawu has gone ahead to document the N500 million as debt owed by the AIT, insisting the amount be paid in one feel swoop.
He regretted that while his organisation has been remitting its licensing fees to the NBC up to date, Kawu has continued to harass and intimidate the AIT, even when public- owned broadcast organisations have not been meeting their financial obligations to the Commission over the years.
The media owner regretted that a man standing trial for alleged corrupt practices could still be harassing and frustrating law abiding organisations for no just cause.
“Ishaq Moddibo Kawu, was dragged to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on a 12-count-charge bordering on fraud in the Digital Switchover Project of the Federal Government and members of his management at NBC have openly testified against him in court.
“Can this man remain independent of external and clandestine influences? Can the scandal he is embroiled in be used to influence his performance as a regulator?
“Is it possible that he will go the extra mile over and beyond the powers of the NBC to gain favour from politicians and powers who may have influence on whether to retain him as DG and offer him a soft landing on the charges against him?
“Is he a fit and proper person with the interest of the industry at heart to lead the regulatory body?
“Kawu must know that the right thing for him to do is to step down from the leadership of the NBC at least until such a time that he is acquitted of the charges against him. Do I need to tell him the right thing to do?
“Can the broadcasters he is regulating freely raise these issues against him as a public figure? I make bold to unequivocally call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately relieve him of his duty at the NBC to allow the industry to breathe fresh air.”
Dokpesi linked his travails in the hands of the NBC boss to his status as an opposition figure, stressing that Kawu was being instigated against him by certain forces in the Presidency.
“Every broadcast which appears to them to offer a dissenting perspective to the position of government is reprehended as a threat to national interest.
“Every reference and reportage from various sections of the country concerning injustice, inequality and iniquity is reprehended as a threat to national security.
“If we are critical of this government’s commitment to the tenets of democracy, it is because we have witnessed unabated interferences, harassment and intimidation by the agencies under the executive arm of government on the institutions of democracy and their principal officers.
“This includes the leadership of the National Assembly, the Judiciary and now the Fourth Estate of the realm.”
According to him, the AIT management has always observed the right of reply whenever the government chose to respond to topical issues or to air its views on any issue of interest.
“We have never refused this government a slot to respond or to reply to these positions. We have, on the contrary, invited them times without number to appear for free to explain their positions and address the agitations of ordinary Nigerians.
“But they cannot determine what questions we ask them and what issues are off-limits.
“They must appear knowing that they are subjecting themselves to public scrutiny. The representatives of this government have largely not taken up the opportunity to rise to this challenge.
“Our obligation as provided for in Section 22 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is to hold government, public officers and people in power accountable to the public.
“If AIT appears biased in propagating its editorial position, it is because the representatives of government have shied away from giving account of themselves on our platform and not because AIT denies the government opportunity to make their perspectives known to our audiences.”
Shortly after the press conference, Dokpesi led the management and staff of DAAR Communications on a protest to the National Assembly.
The protesters were received by a combined team of senators and members of the House of Representatives who assured them that the federal legislature would intervene in the matter with a view to protecting privately owned media organisations against oppression.
The out-gone President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Abubakar Saraki, has confirmed that there was actually unfriendly relationship between the Executive, headed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the two chambers of the National Assembly, headed by him and Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives.
Senator Saraki, who delivered his valedictory message today, June 6 before the close of the legislative session of the 8th Senate said: “it is also important that I make some comments about Legislature-Executive Relations. My own take is that if the Executive sees the National Assembly’s work on the budget as interference despite the provision of the constitution, then there will continue to be problems between both arms of government.
“If the presidency refuses to have engagements and consultations with the leadership of the National Assembly before the president submits the budget to the legislature, then there will continue to be frictions.”
He also acknowledged that there were things the Senate was supposed to do but didn’t do before the expiration of the tenure of the leadership, though he did not mention the specific things that were not done.
“And as we say all the things we have done, we must also be reflective and candid enough to acknowledge the things we didn’t do. It is my hope that the ninth Senate will improve on our performance and deliver on those areas that we were not quite able to touch.”
Senator Saraki thanked his colleagues for their support even in the face of trials even as he said that the Senate invasion of the Senate chamber by security operatives sometime in August 2018, which led to the theft of the mace, would remain ‘saddest’ moment for him.
“Distinguished colleagues, let me thank each and every one of you for your contributions towards making this the historic Senate that it is. When I think of the many trials and tribulations we have faced as an institution, and my own personal travails, particularly at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, I am humbled, because none of our achievements would have been possible without the support and cooperation of the entire members of this chamber.
“The invasion of the National Assembly by armed security operatives in August 2018 will live in infamy. This way down the line, however, I realise that the day of that invasion was the saddest – but in many ways it was also a good day for asserting the independence of the legislature and the triumph of democracy.
“It also turned out to be a showcase of the special relationship between this chamber and the House, as Honourable Members stood in unison with their Senate colleagues in defiance of the invaders. I thank the House of Representatives for the remarkable unity of the two chambers of the 8th National Assembly, for it was only in unity that we could withstand the storm.”
He rolled out some of the achievements of the Senate under his leadership, saying that some of such achievements was the effort on National Assembly Joint Public Hearing on the Budget, Senate’s roundtable, intervention in the North East, intervention in the two-year strike of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), engagement with the executive among others.
Others are making public, the National Assembly budget and setting aside of one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
“Just the other week, the Minister of Health called the 1 per cent CRF a ‘game changer’, no doubt because, by our activities in this chamber, we are touching the lives of Nigerians and even those unborn.
“Speaking of commendations, our interventions on health also won plaudits from international philanthropists Bill Gates and Bono, as well as the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Similarly, our amendment of the Universal Basic Education Act, guaranteeing free education for children aged nine to twelve, won praise from education rights activist and Nobel Laureate, Malala Yousafzai.
“We cracked the code of several Bills that had eluded Senates before us. We broke the decade-old Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into a quartet of workable bills including the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), whose passage stands as a major achievement of the eigth Senate. The Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) was the most comprehensive reform law governing Nigeria’s business environment in nearly 30 years. The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) Bill was one of the major anti-corruption laws we passed; and it saved the country from being expelled from the global body of the Egmont Group. And as recently as May 22, we passed the Nigerian Football Federation Bill which had been caught in the legislative bottleneck for 15 years.”
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The Governor of Ekiti State, who doubles as chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took time off to crack some jokes at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, on ways to collectively tackle the lingering security challenges in the country.
Governors of the 36 States in Nigeria in a group photo with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo after an enlarged security meeting today, June 7, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
A few days after taking over as Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-olu has confessed that it is not a tea party governing the State.
Owner of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi has dragged the Federal Government to an Abuja Federal High Court over the action of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) which shut down the African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power FM radio station yesterday, June 6.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has shut down the African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power FM, belonging to the Daar Communications Limited, even as the owner of the media houses, Chief Raymond Dokpesi has kicked, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the NBC Director General, Malam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu.
The out-gone President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Abubakar Saraki, has confirmed that there was actually unfriendly relationship between the Executive, headed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the two chambers of the National Assembly, headed by him and Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives.
Economics, Economist, Financial Times And Nigeria, By Garba Shehu
One would imagine that business papers like to dwell on economic success stories; apparently not. Instead, they feast and thrive on negatives. Financial Times, for instance, is worried about a government policy that is enabling boom in rice production in Nigeria. And theEconomist is panicky about toothpick manufacturers springing up following tariffs that protect local manufacturers to get off the ground and compete globally.
Both papers only see negatives. Specifically, Economist dwells on out-of-date statistics. Deliberately it turns away from the positives as it will complicate already tailored narratives. Some foreign correspondents keep the storyline simple: Africa is home for all bad things: poverty, disease and crime. And unremitting bleakness lives on the continent, and success is the aberration.
Since only negative reports on Africa make it to the international media, a backward picture of a nation is painted succinctly and efforts at growth in different ramifications, both investment and diplomacy are ignored. From the content of these stories, readers must be baffled that Nigerians know toothpicks, let alone be able to manufacture them.
The fact remains that with squeeze in media budgets there are not enough knowledgeable foreign correspondents based on the continent to report accurate news and uphold journalistic standards. And the parachuting style clearly defies ethics and quality. To cut cost, many media houses rely on the expedience of technology. The highly revered and sacrosanct fact-checking skill of journalism slips as a result. Anyone with a laptop is trusted as credible source. Cogent arguments no longer have a place, instead, we have jumbled and emotive criticisms.
For instance, the Financial Times declares proudly that President Buhari failed to spur rice growing, whilst stating that production was at record levels up 60 per cent in 2018 from what we had in 2013. TheEconomist talks about overdependence on oil, yet criticises policies such as subsidies or financial incentives that allow local businesses to compete and diversify the economy. It frowns at power shortfalls, but turns around to attack Alhaji Aliko Dangote – the man building the world’s largest oil refinery and improving power infrastructure in Nigeria.
Fundamentally, the foreign correspondents fail to appreciate context – understandably if they have to cover a large “patch’’ with shoe-string budgets, but never-the-less it is impermissible as facts must remain sacred. TheEconomist states that the economy was “sputtering’’ when President Buhari’s first term began in 2015, and still concluded he made a “bad situation worse”. “Sputtering’’ sounds euphemistic. The reality is that the economy was on its knees. The overdependence on oil, paired with impending global commodity crash, made the entry into recession at the beginning of the term inevitable. Now, however, the first quarter growth of 2019 has been the strongest.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently said analysts and onlookers must recognise “how deep the shock” was to the economy. As a famous American business magnate observed: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” Indeed, Nigeria had been awash in oil dollars (over $100 a barrel), yet previous governments failed to add muscle to the economy.
Since the recession struck (crude oil went below $40 per barrel), the government has taken measures to redress weaknesses in our economy. The IMF goes on to praise the strong diversification in the economy and welcome the focus on public investment. For instance, the government has spent record figures on infrastructure in the past two years and capital expenditure is now around 30 per cent of the budget, rather than inadequate 10 per cent in 2015.
There has also been a drive to self-sufficiency where possible. It makes no sense for Nigeria to import rice, yet foreign shipments were dumped to maintain dependency. Farmers needed help: strategic tariffs were applied to allow for initial competition, whilst the Central Bank of Nigeria financial initiatives allowed growers to access capital for fertilizer and equipment. Over the past three years, production has risen year-on-year. Nigeria, as of 2018, is Africa’s largest producer of rice. Self-sufficiency has almost been attained.
From reading some foreign articles, you would be surprised to find these success stories mentioned; amazed that anyone would cheer the decision on tariffs to ward off desolation. And the failure to see or present any achievement perpetuates stereotypes that serve as disincentives to Foreign Direct Investment and partnership.
Granted, there are challenges in Nigeria. The country is a large and diverse nation with structural challenges that have been passed down through decades. But foreign reports ignore the complexity, and instead offer platitudes as solutions. This diminishes the difficulties facing those in governance: they must merely “stamp out corruption” or “improve governance” – common advice amongst those quick to criticise, but barren in tangible and measurable solutions.
Similarly, we are told to “harness the vim of Nigerians’’ – which is true. But this seems obvious as to even need mentioning. It is – to be sure – how you do that. We in governance have no illusion about this. Vim is harnessed when a nation has decent infrastructure that connects the economy, and thousands of miles of road have been constructed, as well as the expansion and upgrading of colonial-era railway network. When children have good education; we are currently ensuring 9 million free school meals daily across the nation and it has boosted enrolment and attendance. And when business reforms create enabling environment; already Nigeria has gone up 24 places in Ease of Doing Business ranking since 2018, and the country is currently one of the top 10 global reformers, which is good news!