EFCC Releases List Of Big Time Subsidy Fraud Stars

May 17, 2016

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released the list of the first batch of fuel subsidy suspects to be prosecuted in court. They are altogether seven companies and 12 individual.

The companies are:

Nasaman Oil Services,
Eternal Oil and Gas Plc,
Ontario Oil & Gas Plc,
Nadabo Energy Limited,
Pacific Silver Line Limited,
Axenergy Limited, and,
Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited.

The individuals:

Mamman Nasir Ali,
Christian Taylor,
Mahmud Tukur,
Ochonogor Alex,
Walter Wagbatsoma,
Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi,
Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer,
Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele,
Abubakar Ali Peters,
Jude Agube Abalaka,
Abdulahi Alao and,
Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo.

Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele is director of renowned accounting firm, Akintola Williams Delloite, while Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer is a staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency (PPPRA).

Nasaman Oil Services, Mamman Nasir and Christian Taylor are to face charges bordering on obtaining N4,460,130,797.94 from the Federal Government of Nigeria under false pretence.

The sum is alleged to have been fraudulently obtained as subsidy payments from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 30.5m litres of Premium Motor Spirit from SEATAC Petroleum Limited of British Virgin Islands.

In the same vein, the anti-corruption agency will equally prosecute Abdulahi Alao and Axenergy Limited for allegedly obtaining the sum of N2,640,141,707.75.

They are payments received from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 33.3million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Others include Mahmud Tukur, Ochonogor Alex, Abdulahi Alao and Eternal Oil And Gas Plc.

They will be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1,899,238,946.02 from the Petroleum support Fund for a purported importation of 80.3million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Also, Nadabo Energy Limited, Abubakar Ali Peters, Jude Agube Abalaka and Pacific Silver Line Limited are to be prosecuted for allegedly obtaining the sum of N1,464,961,978.24.

These are payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 19.4million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi, Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer, Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele and Ontario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited will be arraigned for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1,959,377,542.63 from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 39.2million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Lastly, Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo are to be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N979,653,110.20 from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 33, 627, 840 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

According to EFCC, the suspects are among a larger list of more than 140 individuals and organizations involved in ongoing investigations into the subsidy payments, and so more suspects will be arraigned periodically as the investigation progresses.

The Commission described the investigation as massive and extensive.

It reassured Nigerians that it would do all within its powers to apprehend and punish all the people that defrauded the country under the guise of subsidy for imported fuel.

Before now, there had been widespread belief that those involved could evade justice, as a number of high-profile national figures are thought to have spearheaded the scam. [myad]

2016 Hajj: Nigeria Approves 6 Airlines For Airlift Operations

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2016

The government of Nigeria has approved six airlines and two cargo aircraft for the airlift operations in the 2016 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
Confirming the list of the airlines in a statement today, the Head of Media Department of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Uba Mana appealed to the Saudi Arabian authorities to accord the airlines all the necessary diplomatic cooperation.
Uba Mana listed the airlines that have been approved to airlift intending pilgrims this year to Saudi Arabia as Med-view Airlines Limited, Max Air Limited, Dornia Aviation Nigeria AEP Limited, Top Brass, AZMA Air Service and Fly-nas (Saudi Arabia designated carriers.

Uba Mana said that the two companies approved to airfreight pilgrims’ excess cargo are NAHCO Aviation and Medview International Travels and Cargo.

He solicited for the support of the Saudi Arabian authorities in promptly issuing necessary visa for the workers of the airlines and that of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for smooth operations. [myad]

This Is Not The Right Time For Labour To Go On Strike- FCT Minister

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2016

The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has said that this is not the right time for the organized labour to to embark on strike in Nigeria because the country is presently passing through economic challenges.

The Minister who spoke today, Tuesdat, in his office in Abuja said: “I will like to appeal to the labour leaders to listen to the appeals from the generality of the people that now is not the time to strike in Nigeria because we all know what our dear country is going through economically.”

“We all know what the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is doing to ensure that we get out of the economic challenges we are facing, which really is as a result of factors that arose totally beyond the control of everyone in government now, including the citizens.”

Muhammad Bello said that the Minister of State, Petroleum during his interactive session with the members of the House of Representatives had explained the rationale behind the hike in the fuel price, saying that all such reasons were definitely very convincing as they were a reflection of reality on ground.

He therefore urged the leadership of the labour to use their position and encourage workers to support the government policy and to ensure that government organizations and individuals that are supposed to regulate and oversee the entire petroleum value chain from exploration, refining, importation, distribution and eventual retail work efficiently.

The Minister charged labour to ensure that people do not use the present situation to cut corners and charge above the true cost of bringing in this product.

“The labour leaders have to understand that for a very long time, we have not had a leader who showed genuine concern in trying to salvage our nation. So, these kind of opportunities do not come all the time. It’s an opportunity of a life time and I believe as a people, we Nigerians have to embrace this opportunity and support the government, pray for the government and ensure that these policies are effectively implemented.

“We should have faith in the President and understand that this systemic and structural problems that we are facing today are culminations of issues that occurred many years ago and I think it is good for us to be realistic and understand that they cannot just disappear overnight. It requires collective hard work for us to salvage this country and I’m very confident that by the grace of God Almighty, we’ll succeed.” [myad]

Osinbajo Insists Buhari Would Be The Last To Increase Fuel Price If He Had Choice

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2016

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has made it clear that President Muhammadu Buhari would be the last person in this country to have wanted to increase fuel price if he had other option, of making the supply of the product with ease.

“If there is one person in Nigeria that believes that petroleum prices should not go up by one Naira, it is President Buhari.”

Yemi Osinbajo, who spoke today, Tuesday at a public book presentation event in Abuja, said that the difficult decision announced last week by the federal government was done when it became very clear that there was, simply had no other option.

The Vice President asked: “what can we do if we don’t have foreign currency? “we have to import fuel.”

He said that even if the nation’s refineries are repaired today, “we would still be able to refine 40% of our petroleum, so we still need to import.”

The Vice President who spoke at the public presentation of Anatomy of Corruption in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges & Solutions, a collection of essays edited by Yusuf O. Ali, noted that a lot of the problems associated with the refineries are corruption related.

According to the Vice President, corruption “explains why many States are owing salaries and continue to owe salaries. When we look at corruption and its deleterious consequences, we must relate it directly to what we are experiencing at this time.

“Most of the States, since February 2016, have been owing, some up to 6 months. When we came into office, we tried to settle many of those debts but the Federation Account is lower and we are unable to find the resources to shore up the Federation Account.”

“When you consider that today, Nigeria’s reserves stands at about $27 billion and we are investigating $15 billion from one sector alone, that is over half of the entire reserves of the country.

“We are investigating cases which show that over $15 billion was lost in one type of contracts alone. We are not talking of oil contracts; we are talking of security related contracts alone. We have not talked at all about oil contracts, several billions.

“How we dimension the problem must be different. We cannot look at it the same way as if it is just petty stealing. This is not just stealing the resource of the country; it is stealing the future as well.

“Let me just state one clear example. All through the period when Nigeria was earning over 100 – 115 dollars in proceeds of oil for a period of almost 5 years, the external reserves of Nigeria remained much the same. It did not (significantly) increase at all despite the very high earnings.

“And that is why we have the situation that we find ourselves today. It is the external reserves that a country resorts to as a last resort in protecting its currency.”

“When countries were experiencing these high prices, some countries were putting money aside. Saudi Arabia saved over $700 billion (as at last year), so when their currency began to suffer, of course they were able to shore up their currency with their reserves.”

He said that in the case of Nigeria, “we are unable to do so. And the reason is because the reserves have been depleted. It is the same reason why it is difficult to do very very many other things that we should be doing as a nation.”

He declared that corruption poses an existential threat to the country.

“I want to just very quickly say that corruption has no label. It is not just a social evil; it is an existential threat to our country. There is no doubt at all that this is unlike other countries, (where) people say that there is corruption everywhere, which is true.

“But I think the one distinguishing feature for Nigeria and for many other countries like ours is that it is a threat that directly affects the lives and livelihoods of everyone.

“It is not just an evil, it is not just an immorality, it is an existential threat because it could truly destroy lives and it has destroyed many many lives and has continued to destroy the Nigerian economy.”

Professor Osinbajo stressed that unless there is a determined effort to fight corruption at all levels, unless that effort is determined, unless we have the political, the judicial, even the religious will, we would find ourselves in a continuous cycle of corruption, economic adversity, more corruption, more economic adversity.

“As I observed at another event, when you look at those who are accused of corruption in Nigeria, look at any typical case of fraud or corruption, you will never find three Igbo men (by themselves alone) or three Yoruba men or 3 Hausa speaking men, (by themselves alone) NO! You will find federal character, well-represented.

“You find the Yoruba man, you find the Igbo man, you find the Hausa man, the Fulani man. All different groups are very well-represented. Amongst them you will find Christians and you will find Muslims.

“All of the defenses that people put forward, that, oh! it is the Igbo man, oh! it is the Hausa man, it is Yorubas, and so on, none of that is demonstrated by the facts.

“That is why it is important that as a Nigerian elite, we have the special privilege of education, we have a special privilege of position. It is the responsibility of that privilege that we must fight everything that normally hinder and distorts our economy and kill our people as well.”

“That is why we must as an elite in leadership fight corruption. Some people suggest it is a matter of religion, It is not a matter of religion, I pastor a church. I pastor churches, so I know. What is important is that we must recognize corruption for what it is. Make no excuses for it and fight it with determination.

“I want to assure you that the government of President Buhari is determined to fight corruption, and that despite whatever those naysayers may say, we would fight it with everything that we have and we will leave a legacy in this nation of at least a government that chose to stand by principle and chose to stand by doing things right.” [myad]

Cult Group, Egbesu Fraternity, Gives Buhari Ultimatum To Release Kanu, Dasuki Or…

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2016

A cult group going by the name, Egbesu Mightier Fraternity has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to release the Radio Director of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu and the former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki in the next two week without hesitation and unconditionally.
The cult group warned that if the two persons were not released from detention within the stipulated time, they will shut down every oil and gas activities in the region.

They also wanted the federal government to ask the military to leave Gbaramatu within the same period even as they said that Tompolo is not responsible for the bombing of oil and gas pipelines in the region.

In a statement by the group’s spokesman, Captain Agbaka Doctor, Egbesu Fraternity said that the Niger Delta Avengers is a branch for the struggle, adding that there was nothing wrong in Tompolo selling his land to the government as requested.

“Federal government approached to Chief Tompolo for his land to be used as Maritime University and he passionately sold his land to the government based on agreement, humanly what is wrong in that for someone to sell what belongs to him, is it a crime in Nigeria now?
“It is also extremely important to note that the engine room of the National interest is the Executive obedience to court orders and protection and preservation of the citizens’ constitutional liberties. Justification of executive disobedience to court orders as a protection of national interest is abominable.
“It is also a deliberate ploy to bend the law and suspension of the 1999 constitution.

Federal government disobedience to court decisions is one of the dimensions of corruption and seen as gross abuse of office, contrary to section 15 (5) of the 1999 constitution.
“We ask, is President Muhammadu Buhari has any legal capacity to declare anyone as a criminal instead of the courts? Disobedience to court orders is an act of executive rascality’s in the country.
“Nmandi Kanu has been in detention since October 14, 2015 when he was arrested by operatives of the DSS while the former national security adviser too is facing multiple charges before three different courts and was re-arrested recently at the gate of Kuje prision, Abuja shortly after he has perfected all his bail conditions. The continued detention and incarceration of the two accused persons is humanly unjustifiable in the 1999 constitution and therefore the rule of law must be respected”.
“President Muhammadu Buhari must not constitute himself as a court of law and allow justice to prevail in the country. Within this period we will halt gas and oil operations in the country until they are released as directed by the courts.
“With oil prices slipping below 40 dollars a barrel, if the government of President Buhari is willing, we will help to reduce its price of barrel 5 dollars. Nigeria will collapse under the watch of All Progressive Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari as we will do everything necessary to actualize the American prediction.
“The silence in the region is a legacy of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua should not be thrown away on the altar of vindictiveness. The government should thread with caution and wisdom by ensuring that anything capable of provoking anger in the region be avoided or else every region shall maintain their respective resources because the money belongs to the people of the region and not APC and Buhari government.
“We are given the Buhari administration the next two weeks to rescind its decision or otherwise Nigerian will be a history as predicted by American.

“We also demand the immediate payment of Bonga Oil Spill and Chevron gas explosion in Koluama in Bayelsa state unconditionally to the affected communities and their claimants.
The country will be a grounded and let us see what the president will use to run the economy and we will accomplish the ultimatum.” [myad]

Court Stops Labour From Going On Strike Tomorrow

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2016

The National Industrial Court, Abuja has stopped the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), from proceeding on nation-wide strike starting from tomorrow, Wednesday.
President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice Babatunde Adeniran Ademjumo, who presided over the case, granted an Interim Order of Injunction restraining the Defendants/Respondents, their agents, privies, employees, workmen, or servants from embarking on industrial action, demonstrating or engaging in any action that may disrupt the economic activities of the country pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The ruling was based on a Suit No. NICN/ABJ/179/2016 brought by Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney-General of the Federation against the NLC and TUC.
The Federal Government was represented by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN); Chief O. O. Obono-Obla, Special Assistant to the President (Prosecution), Office of the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation and Dayo Apata, Director, Civil Litigation, Federal Ministry of Justice.
The Attorney General of the Federation submitted that if the reliefs sought in the motion paper is refused, irreparable damage will be occasioned to the country’s national economy, security and corporate existence.
He further submitted that the Defendants, having threatened to shut down the country, have to be restrained otherwise there will be a breakdown of law and order.
In his ruling, Justice Adejumo held that he has jurisdiction to hear the application and that having read through the affidavits in support of the application, he is satisfied that a case of urgency has been established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to warrant the grant of an interim order of injunction.
He said that the threats of the Defendants as contained in the communique issued by the Defendants on the 29th May to shut down all banks; airports, seaports, government offices, markets nationwide has proven that there is need to protected them. [myad]

100 Lawyers So Far Appear For Saraki, Judge Complain

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2016

The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar has complained that no fewer than 100 lawyers have so far appeared for the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, over his trial on alleged false asset declaration.

Justice Umar, who obviously felt confused on which of the lawyers doing what said: “the records of this tribunal show that 100 counsels have represented the defendant. The head counsel, Kanu Agabi, should be the one to conduct the cross examination and when he is unable, he is entitled to nominate other counsels.

“A situation where different lawyers take on the cross examination at different time will not help this proceedings. Anything short of this, the tribunal will not allow.”

Several Senior Advocates (SANs), like Paul Erokoro, Paul Usoro and the lead counsel, Kanu Agabi have so far cross examined the first witness.

Reacting, Federal Government’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, said all counsels should speak through one voice.

Jocobs said, “All litigants should speak through one voice, no law allows that several counsels should cross examine one witness.

“This is the ninth day different counsels are cross examining this particular witness. If your lordship allows this, the matter will continue forever.” [myad]

Aviation Minister Announces Closure Of Abuja Airport For Runway Repairs

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2016

The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has announced the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja for the repair of the airport runway.

Sirika, who did not say when the closure and repair would be carried out said that the runway is currently riddled with pot hole.

The minister, who engaged aviation stakeholders in an interactive session in Abuja, presented gory pictures of the runway in a slide presentation.

“At the sight of the runway, I was tempted to close the Abuja airport. I probably will close it still. You need to look at the runway.”

Sirika said that the situation has further exposed the need for a second runway in Abuja, and that with a second runway, “you don’t need to shut down an airport when one runway goes bad as the other will be in use.”

The airport was first shut down in July 2014 to give way for the fixing of some ruptured parts of the runway. In two weekends in July, the airport was shut for about 60 hours altogether.

An estimated N500 million was believed to have been lost as a result of such the closure. [myad]

What I Regret In My 8-Year Presidency – Obasanjo

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2016

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has said that one of the things he regretted in his eight-year Presidency was that he did not privatize the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

The former president, who spoke in Lagos at the opening of a two-day maritime conference called on President Muhammadu Buhari to allow organized private sector to play a critical role in repositioning of the nation’s moribund assets and infrastructure.

Obasanjo said that past experience in Nigeria has shown that the private sector will always make a meaningfully contribution to the sustainable growth and development of the nation when given the opportunity.

He said that the organized private sector had aided and stabilized the nation’s telecommunications industry by creating jobs and paying money to the government on a sustainable basis, adding: “NNPC is supposed to be doing well like Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG). The involvement of the private sector will ensure growth.”

Obasanjo said that the NLNG is doing well because of the involvement of the private sector, saying: “the NLNG is making money for the government because of the involvement of the private sector.”

Obasanjo said that Nigeria’s maritime sector had not made much impact because of lack of transparency.

“A General once left this country with two ships. He later came back with no accountability. That cannot happen in the private sector.”

Obasanjo, who was chairman of the event tagged: “building a sustainable maritime industry in Nigeria,” said that corruption is one of the factors hindering growth and development of the nation.

He said that he met five ships while he took over as head of state and later bought 19 more before leaving office in 1979, but added that, “20 years after and in 1999, there was no ship left.”

He said while one of the ships was sold as a scrap for $500,000, “government later bought the same ship for $2 million. It was repaired for $1million.

“It was later seized for not being sea worthy, I was informed. We were asked to pay $2 million. I told them to keep the ship. It was later released (without any payment).”

Obasanjo said that over 90 per cent of global trade is carried out via the sea, saying: “this underscores the fact that a sustainable maritime industry has direct impact on the economy of the nation and also determines the competitiveness of its export.

“The private sector should be encouraged to take the driving seat in the development architecture of the Nigerian maritime industry. Hopefully, this will bring about the desired efficiency in the management of the project and sustained funding.

“Nigeria should look beyond its national maritime sector as an economic hub for the country but should by now be consolidating its position as the regional and global force in the maritime domain.” [myad]

3 Tomatoes For N300? By Emma Bello

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2016

Headaches. That’s all I got from all the smart economists who tried hard to break down the desirability or otherwise of fuel’s new price for the rest of us mortals last week. Suddenly, every one became an economist in the mould of Adam Smith and all the other gurus. There were long talks of forex sourcing, the international dimensions, and all the other indices that made the increase necessary. I tried making sense out of it all and, since I’m no economist and don’t pretend to be one, I came out more confused. And when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said there was no subsidy removal, after we all thought that was what happened, I became more befuddled. Right now, I don’t know if I should be hailing the decision or flailing it. May be someday we shall understand it better by and by. But now, I have new worries: the inevitable rise of goods and services prices. I don’t go to the market often but when my people came back the other day to tell me that even tomatoes are now hard to come by, I got more worried. A bag of rice, I discovered is inching towards the twenty thousand naira mark. Transportation probably responded to the increase first in a fast and furious manner with motorists hiking their fares. Soon, health care, school fees, and rents are sure to follow. Everyone would find a clever way to reflect the new reality in the price of whatever they are selling. And, if we are supposed to be at the mercy of marketers, only heaven knows where we are would be soon. My heart goes out to the unemployed or half employed folks like yours sincerely. I’m also thinking of the student who has to find a magic around the stipend he or she gets. My heart goes to all indigent people back in the country side who can’t even find explanations to what is hitting them. I’m sure they would now intensify prayers in their churches and mosques, believing something spiritual has gone wrong. They won’t have the benefit of knowing that a scientific reality is assailing them. I’m thinking of the millions that would soon be laid off; the struggling single mother who has children to take care of; of course the charlatans would now weigh in asking their flocks to pay more money for spiritual interventions. Or like Rev Father Mbaka said last week that God would soon sort out all the suffering. The priest said that the hardship would soon be over and we shall start to enjoy a glorious day in the future. He has been accurate in the past in predicting this government would happen. May be he would be right again this time to predict away the hardship. But even the most ardent supporter of the current regime, believes it is down the hill from now on. Marketers are going to source for forex in the black market and get us to pay for their trouble. In that case, it means, even the proverbial N145 is just the tip of the iceberg. Prices would go higher and the market would respond accordingly. So it is possible to wake up each day with a new price for goods and services. And even if one is not an economist, one thing I know is that prices don’t ever come down. From the first day the first increase debut, prices of essential commodities have continued to sky rocket. They don’t ever come down. I remember when bread used to be ten naira. Some people remember when bread used to be three kobo. When bread eventually became one hundred naira, many people were alarmed. Today, the stuff goes for nothing less than three hundred naira. And we are still paying.

That brings me to an attitude I find amazing in Nigerians: the super human ability to absorb anything, roll with the punches and move on. And so many Nigerians would soon adjust to the new day. A bag of rice would crown up to twenty thousand naira; so what? Nigerians would still buy the thing with a smile. After all, a bag of rice came from somewhere when it used to be two thousand or thereabout as far as I can recall. As a people we don’t ever say no. well, in 2012, we rose up to resist attempts to put extra burden on us. We marched out and shut down the country with our #occupyNigeria. I’m told now that we should not do the same thing in the current dispensation. Why? I’m informed that the new managers of the economy have better intentions than the last ones. And so they would use the subsidy funds more judiciously. Poor NLC! They don’t seem to be finding their groove. I’m writing this on a cool Monday evening and it is doubtful if they would be able to pull of any form of industrial action. Like the whole confusion on whether there was a subsidy removal or not, NLC is torn between two dominant views. One says there is no need for the labour unions to picket anything considering that the move to increase fuel price is a desirable surgery. Those holding the view have even accused NLC of working with beneficiaries of the subsidy funds, wondering why NLC wasn’t fighting for other welfare packages. NLC too has been blackmailed almost into submission with some big businesses querying the body and challenging it to come up with better solutions. I don’t know how NLC is going to respond to that but when it mobilised Nigerians in 2012 to resist the removal of subsidy, was it also protecting subsidy thieves then? If so, why was the movement so popular then? Personally, I don’t want any industrial action as it may only compound the anguish of the ordinary citizen.

So, what do we do? Well, let us just hope government would do something about prices of goods and services by forcing prices down. But in the absence of that I would give the following advice. First, everyone should start a garden and poultry behind their houses. That way, you can get all the tomatoes and other soup ingredients you need (sorry, you still have to go get maggi and oil, whose price may go up too). Secondly, sell off all your cars and keep just one that is fuel-able. Three, no more frivolity in spending: all owambes and night life should disappear. Four, no need to buy any fancy clothes henceforth. Mend the ones that are torn and dress sparingly. In the times we live in, a poor look is not such a bad thing. Also, reduce the rate of dependency. I’m sorry but those pesky country folks have to watch it. If you are a family man, you may have to worry only about the immediate family. Move to cheaper neighbourhood. In Abuja, life does not start and end in Maitama and Garki. Why live in a house whose rent scares you and makes you sleepless. Move to our good old Nyanya and Mararaba and get some good rent. You don’t have to worry about traffic. After all, there won’t be plenty cars on the road soon. Learn to eat from your kitchen. Expensive lunches and dinners are out of the window. In the new era we found ourselves, frugality and reticence have become a must. If we all do this and follow them religiously, I assure you, it shall be well. [myad]

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