How Corruption Threatens Survival Of Societies, Osinbajo Narrates

May 14, 2018

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has listed the danger which corruption is capable of causing societies, describing it as a crime against humanity, because of the implications on the lives and livelihoods of all, especially the poorest.

Corruption, he swore, undermined democracy and the rule of law, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life, allows organized crime and terrorism to flourish, and triggers needless wars and bloodshed. And indeed, much has been lost and is still being lost.

Professor Osinbajo, who spoke today, Monday, at the 8^th Commonwealth Conference of Heads of Anti Corruption Agencies in Abuja, the Nigeria’s federal capital, stressed that corruption had continued to be one of the greatest challenges of our time and that it is a problem that threatens the very existence, and continued survival of societies.
The Vice President cited the 2014 report by the One Campaign, titled the “One Trillion Dollar Scandal” which said that developing countries lose $1 trillion annually to corporate transgressions, most of it traceable to the activities of companies with secret ownership.
“Another report that may enjoy a major mention here is the 2015 report of the High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa. Chaired by our guest of honour, former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, the panel concluded in its report that Africa had lost over $1 trillion over a 50-year period and that Africa loses more than $50 billion annually to illicit financial flows. Most of these illicit flows are perpetrated in the extractive sector and many through companies with hidden ownerships.”
Vice President Osinbajo said that the cost of corruption had imposed on all African countries and governments a moral obligation to fight it with vigour and political will, by strengthening all institutions and systems involved in law enforcement, as well as in promoting a culture of transparency and accountability.
According to him, while public sector corruption is the usual focus, the private sector’s complicity is significant, especially with large multinational corporations engage in tax evasion or transfer pricing.
“But it is the complex web of public-private collusion and connivance that results in proceeds of corruption ending up in foreign countries and, especially, in their financial institutions and systems. Dismantling the conspiracies that facilitate export of stolen assets is probably as important as the theme of this conference which is “Partnering towards Assets Recovery and Return.”
“It underscores the fact that fighting corruption is futile if we do not ensure that the proceeds of corruption find no safe haven. And that such proceeds are fully recovered and promptly repatriated. Recovering stolen assets not only accomplishes the goal of restitution, it also serves as a potential deterrent to future corruption.

“Article 51 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption states unequivocally, that return of assets is a fundamental principle of the Convention, and mandates States Parties to afford one another the widest measure of cooperation and assistance in this regard. Similarly, Article 16(1) (c) of the African Union Convention for Preventing and Combating Corruption, obligates States Parties to adopt such legislative measures as to enable repatriation of proceeds of corruption.”

MTN Had Paid Me N500,000 Damages For Unlawful Deduction, Client Tells Court

Greenbarge Reporters

May 14, 2018

A client of the Nigerian Telecommunications giant, MTN, Oluwole Aluko has confirmed that he had been paid N500,000 following the ruling of a Federal High Court judgment in the case he instituted against the MTN’s unlawful deduction from his call credit.

Aluko, who is a legal practitioner, had in 2016 sued MTN, instituted a legal suit against MTN alleging unlawful deduction of his call credit.

The judge, Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel, of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, had in 2017, entered judgment in favour of the claimant when there was no representation for MTN throughout the hearing period until the judgment day.

But Abiola Olagunju and Fatiullah Tiamiyu later announced their representation for MTN, with an application asking the court to set aside its judgment against their client.

They had argued that the company’s legal department was never aware of the suit against the company before the court.

Aluko, however, presented before the court evidence of court summons served on the defendants with proof of receipt in a criminal contempt suit he instituted against the duo.

He had argued that the duo were trying to pervert the course of justice.

At the resumed hearing today, Monday, Aluko informed the court that MTN had paid him N500,000 in compliance with the court’s earlier order.

The judge, consequently, struck out the claimant’s suit of criminal contempt against MTN’s lawyers.

Source: NAN.

World Bank Thumbs Up For Nigerian Economic Performance

Greenbarge Reporters

May 14, 2018

File photo: Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun

The World Bank Group has expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Nigerian economy as it continues on the path to growth.

The commendation was contained in a statement by the bank today, Monday, after the conclusion of a visit to Nigeria by 10 Executive Directors of the bank from May 9 to 12.

According to the statement, the visit was to enable the bank’s management team get a better understanding of Nigeria’s development priorities with a special focus on the energy sector.

The Executive Directors held discussions with the Vice President of Nigeria, the Minister of Finance and Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Edo, Lagos, Taraba and Yobe, other senior government officials.

The Directors discussed the security challenges in the Northeast and Middle belt regions and how to achieve development in these challenging environments.

“Our visit to Nigeria was to get a better understanding of the country, assess the World Bank’s interventions on the ground, and support opportunities that will keep the country on a path of sustained development,” said

“We commend Nigeria’s implementation of its new Economic Growth and Recovery Plan (EGRP) and the Power Sector Recovery Plan (PSRP), both of which are important for regional integration.

“It will also ensure trade and capital flows, which will ultimately lead to greater growth,” says World Bank.

According to the statement, the Executive Directors also met with beneficiaries of the World Bank Group supported projects in agriculture, education, health, youth employment, community development, soil erosion and public financial management.

Similarly, they met with representatives of the private sector, civil society organisations, diplomatic missions and development partners.

The group also visited the newly commissioned Edo Power Plant in Benin City, which was a key project in the government’s power sector reform agenda and is supported by three arms of the World Bank Group,

The three arms are; the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the World Bank.

In Lagos, the delegation visited microfinance clients, mostly women, to gain an understanding of how the funds they had received impacted their livelihoods.

“They also had an interactive meeting with private sector executives, which highlighted the need to sustain business reforms and provide affordable and reliable power to improve the living standards of all Nigerians.

“The Executive Directors observed that Nigeria continues to implement institutional policy reforms for restoring macroeconomic resilience and growth across sectors with support from the World Bank Group.

“They reiterated the World Bank Group’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s growth in a way that is inclusive, job enhancing, and reduces poverty and inequality.

“Critical to this inclusive growth objective is reforming the power sector, boosting critical investments in human development, and mobilising finance for development by creating a conducive environment for private sector participation,” the bank said.

The bank also emphasised the importance of Nigeria to the sub-region and therefore the country’s central role in its regional strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa.

It will be recalled that Nigeria has been one of IFC’s fastest growing portfolios and represents IFC’s fifth largest global country exposure, with a committed volume of 1.6 billion dollars.

Also, Nigeria is MIGA’s fifth largest country exposure in Sub-Saharan Africa, with current exposure of 334 million dollars.

The Nigeria Country Partnership Strategy extending to 2019 has an investment of 8.8 billion dollars through the International Development Association (IDA) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

Source: NAN

Presidential Aspirant Quits Party, Says Demand For N7.4 Million Is Unconstitutional

Greenbarge Reporters

May 14, 2018

A 47- year-old Presidential aspirant on the platform of National Conscience Party (NCP), Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, has dumped the party after accusing its functionaries of demanding what he called an unconstitutional fee of N7.4 million from each aspirant.

Thomas-Wilson told journalists in Akure, the Ondo State capital today, Monday, that he was renouncing his membership as well as presidential aspiration on the platform of NCP over an alleged unconstitutional act on the part of the party’s leadership.

He explained that the national chairman and secretary of the party were demanding N7.4 million from each aspirant, which according to him contradict its constitution.

NCP was founded by the late legal luminary, Gani Fawehinmi.

“I am no longer NCP presidential aspirant due to the action of the national chairman and secretary of the party who mandated each aspirant to pay a sum of N7.4 million to secure the party’s ticket.

“This is totally contradictory to the party’s constitution which stipulates that intending candidates of the party should run without paying a dime.

“Majority are not happy with the way the party is being run. It is a total deviation from the dreams of the founding members.”

The runaway aspirant said that no fewer than 12 different political parties have approached him to form a coalition in order to oust the ruling party from power, adding that the planned coalition would be able to create the dream of a new Nigeria.

NAN

You’re Either Ignorant Of Global Security Practice Or Mischievous, Police Tells Senate

Greenbarge Reporters

May 14, 2018

The Nigerian Police Force has said that the Senate, whose members invited the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim over series of killings across the country, is either ignorant of the global security practice or mischievous.

The NPF, in reaction to a media publication credited to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, that the Inspector General of Police should stop holding on to the straw on why he refused to comply with the invitation of the Senate for him to come, said that the Senate is misleading Nigerians.

In a series of tweets, the NPF said: “if the Senate is sincerely interested in knowing the strategies adopted by the Police in tackling the killings in the affected States, they would not have invited the IGP to speak on the strategies of the Force on National Television.

“The Senate’s action to cover the appearance of the IGP on National Television is against National Security, unconventional and it negates global security practice.

“Over Five Thousand (5000) prohibited firearms have been recovered from wrong hands across the Federation on the directives of the IGP in the mop-up operations currently ongoing throughout the Country.”

Your Mother Lived Long To Witness Your Success, Buhari Comforts Pastor Bakare

Greenbarge Reporters

May 14, 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with Pastor Tunde Bakare on the death of his mother, Mrs. Abigail Eebudola Bakare.

In a telephone call to his friend and one time running mate, the General Overseer of Latter Rain Assembly, President Buhari asked the cleric and the Bakare family to take solace in the fact that the late Mrs. Bakare lived long enough to witness the enormous successes achieved by her children.

The President called on the bereaved family to uphold the cherished ideals of community service, kindness and generosity associated with the matriarch of the Bakare family, who died on May 5 at the age of 108.

Health Workers Struggle: This Is Our Case, By Stephen Chubiyojo & Abubakar Umar

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2018

We must let the world know that the Health Workers are seeking for redress against injustice and not seeking equality in remuneration.

We are questioning where in the world does a first degree holder under the disguise of MBBS enter into service at GL12?

We are questioning the rationality of an employed graduate Pharmacist, Physiotherapist, Medical Lab Scientist, Nurse etc spending about 10 years in service before catching up with an MBBS graduate at his/her point of entry!

Where is it in all the guidelines for employment into the public or civil service? Where is the Head of Service of the Federation? Where is the Secretary To The Government Of The Federation? Where is the Chairman Salaries and Wages Commission? Where are the Heads of Establishments in The Federal Ministry of Finance, Office of The Accountant General and Auditor General of and for the Federation? Where are they?

Where is the Attorney General and Minister of Justice? Where are the Law Makers in the Hallowed Chambers of National Assembly? Where is the Vice President a revered Professor of Law? Indeed, Where is Mr President, the shining example of integrity, accountability, equity and justice?

Where are all these authorities when Health Workers in Nigeria are being subjugated and oppressed by a microscopic few that arrogate to themselves the power to determine who gets what, when and how?

Let the public know that right in our current salary table (CONHESS) is a design to truncate our career progression for a period of four years.

On the table, there is no provision for Deputy Director despite the fact that health workers get promoted to that rank after spending at least four years in the rank of an Assistant Director.

One of our demands is the implementation of the adjusted CONHESS table from 15 to 16 to accommodate Deputy Director on CONHESS 15 and scale up the Director to CONHESS 16.

Other demands such as adjustment in retirement age from 60 to 65years cut across all categories of staff in the Health Sector including the so-called Medical Staff.

I want to use this opportunity to call on all well meaning Nigerians, Traditional, Religious leaders and Leaders of thought to prevail on Government to address the question of inequality and illegalities pervading the health sector.

Health Workers are not worried that the Medical Doctors in Nigeria are jumping scale without any enabling circular from Establishment. They are enjoying skipping with arrears without any appropriation. They were paid CONTISS Arrears running into billions sometimes in 2004 or thereabout even when they weren’t on CONTISS Scale. We can go on and on, but these haven’t been part of our demands despite being our civic duty to point out.

For peace to return and sustained, Government should mutter the desired courage to address our concerns for the benefits of the downtrodden masses of this country that doesn’t have the means to afford the throat cutting prices charged at Private Clinics predominantly owned by the Medical Doctors.”

Stephen Chubiyojo, a Pharmacist and Abubakar Umar (Saraki)PhD, wrote in from Abuja. [myad]

Ondo Governor Stops By To Buy Snail From Old Customer

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2018

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State made a surprise stopover in front of the shop of an old customer, Mrs. Funmilayo Osunla, popularly called Iya Dare Onigbin at Owena, Igbaraoke in Ifedore local government area, to buy his usual delicacy.

Governor Akeredolu, whose long convoy pulled up at Iya Dare’s stall after a long break, was warmly embraced by the surprised Funmilayo.

Eye witness account described the meeting of the snail seller and the governor in such a circumstance as an event that would for a long time, remain unforgettable in the memory of the former. [myad]

Fayose To Fayemi: Expect Worse Defeat In July 14 Gubber Election

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2018

Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has asked his predecessor, Kayode Fayemi who has just emerged as Flagbearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the July 14 Ekiti gubernatorial elections to expect the worse defeat.

In a tweet on Saturday, Fayose, said: He (Fayemi) should expect to suffer worse defeat compared to that of 2014.”

He thanked the APC for giving Ekiti people a candidate they love to vote against at all times. Fayemi should not celebrate this pyrrhic victory yet because it is nothing but a flame that will be quenched on July 14.[myad]

I Will Rescue Ekiti From Bad Governance, Desecration Of Ekiti Values – Kayode Fayemi

Greenbarge Reporters

May 13, 2018

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship flag bearer in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said that his second coming will aim at rescuing the state from bad governance, poverty among the people and desecration of the values for which the people of the State are known.

Dr. Fayemi, in his acceptance speech after winning the APC governorship primaries, beating 31 other contestants at a keenly-contested battle for the party’s ticket at Damlek Event Centre, Oke Ila, Ado-Ekiti, Saturday night, said that his victory signaled the beginning of the battle to rescue the state from bad governance, poverty and desecration of Ekiti values wrecked by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) administration.

The APC candidate, who was joined by fellow aspirants on the podium, said that his desire to seek Ekiti people’s votes again was hinged on an unfinished business to make their lives better.

He advised party members and supporters to let go of all grievances in the course of the struggle for the governorship ticket and urged fellow party faithful to set aside differences and face the election as a united family.

“Let me say this to Ekiti people who will wake up in the morning to hear the news of the result of my being the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the July 14 election, I want you, Ekiti people, to be rest assured that I am not on any vengeance mission. In accepting this onerous responsibility, I have a profound sense of unfinished business in making poverty history in this land.

“In the course of my previous service in this state, there are certainly acts of omission and commission in our quest to rapidly develop our state.

“This is an opportunity to apologize to those who might have been offended by our policies and programmes. Together, we will take our state to greater heights.”

Fayemi hailed fellow aspirants for providing the stiff competition that enriched the race for the APC ticket, stressing that “all of them are eminently qualified to be governor of Ekiti State and will do better than characters presently at the helm.”

He announced that he was immediately setting up a Candidate Advisory Council, comprising all the co-aspirants to share experience, plan ahead and ensure victory for the party at the governorship poll.

“In all electoral contests, tempers often rise and nerves are frayed. I therefore humbly appeal to all my supporters, and to my co-contestants and their supporters, to let go of past differences as we forge ahead to a new dawn.

“The first major step is the immediate setting up of the candidate advisory council, comprising all the co-aspirants.

“But the battle has only just begun – the contest to reclaim our land and restore our values. The fight to ensure our great party comes out victorious in the July 14, 2018 general election.

“Without a doubt, Ekiti is in critical need of rescue. It is imperative that we urgently commence the task of purging ourselves of the bad reputation we have earned in recent years and restore good governance to the state.

“In my valedictory address in 2014, I said that future administrations would be judged by the standards we set during our time in office.

“It should be clear to any observer that over the past four years, Ekiti has retreated from the progressive values that we espoused in office and our grand ideals of human development.

“We have seen the entrenchment of the disdain for elders, traditional institutions, and all forms of constituted authorities.

“Instead of continuing the quest for freedom from ignorance, disease and want, what we have seen is a paradigm that deepens captivity to these ills.

“In short, the last four years has called into question all that we stand for as a people. The timeless values of honour, dignity, nobility and civility encapsulated in the Omoluabi ethos have been eroded.”

Fayemi, who is current minister of mine and solid minerals, was declared winner by the Ekiti State APC Governorship Primary Electoral Committee Chairman, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, who commended all stakeholders for their contribution to the success of the primary election. He handed Fayemi the Certificate of Return as the APC candidate for the July 14 poll. [myad]

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