Washington Post Deputy Digital Editor, Karen Attiah, will speak at the American University of Nigeria’s Distinguished Journalists’ Lecture Series on October 13. Known for her comprehensive and insightful writing on African politics, human rights and development, Attiah will speak on: “Nigeria after Boko Haram.” At the same event, veteran journalist and rights activist, the late Hajiya Bilikisu Yusuf, who was a delegate to the 1st International Peace and Development Conference hosted by AUN in June 2014, will be honoured for her contribution to peace building and community development in the North East. Attiah has worked as a consultant with the World Bank on social media for the Africa Region, having previously reported for Associated Press, while she was in Curacao, contributing to Freedom House as an Africa analyst for their annual Freedom of the Press reports. The African-American was a former Fulbright scholar and holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs with a concentration in Human Rights and a specialization in International Media, Advocacy, and Communications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Northwestern University in Illinois. The former Fulbright Scholar will be meeting with the AUN/US Agency for International Development literacy project team to learn about “A Year of Literacy” project. She will also be appearing as a guest lecturer in some journalism classes as well as an entrepreneurship and development courses taught in the University. To gain firsthand experience with the internally displaced persons in Yola, Attiah will be assisting with food distribution to IDPs and as well visiting other community projects hosted by the University. [myad]
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has dismissed as arrant nonsense the indictment of former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi by his successor, Chief Nyesom Wike, and the panel he set up to probe his immediate past predecessor. The party dismissed the claim of the panel’s chairman, Justice George Omeriji, who reportedly said that Amaechi would have to account for a purportedly missing N53 billion. “
This claim of a purportedly missing N53 billion under Amaechi’s watch is pure rubbish and a mere rubber-stamping of the well known position of Chief Wike, who indicted Amaechi even before the Justice Omereji Commission of Inquiry started sitting.
“This, of course, is an exercise in futility. As we have always maintained, Amaechi’s hands are spotlessly clean as he conducted the affairs of state in a transparent manner throughout his eight years in office as Rivers State Governor from 2007 to May 2015.” In a statement today in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, the party said that the allegedly missing money is from the Rivers State Reserve Fund. He added that the withdrawals were duly approved by the State House of Assembly and the expenditure duly captured in the State Budget and accounted for. “How on earth can someone in his right senses describe funds withdrawn with the approval of the legislature and spent as prescribed by the State Budget to be missing? Wike in his desperation to stop Amaechi’s appointment as a minister has resorted to dancing naked in the market place. We know that the next thing he will do is to hurriedly issue a White Paper on the issue in the hope of stopping Amaechi’s confirmation as a minister by the Senate but his plan has already failed, just as he failed in his devious plot to stop Amaechi’s nomination in the first place.” The party chairman dismissed governor Wike as a drowning man who is desperate to drag Amaechi down with him, as he is fully aware that his days as governor are numbered as the stolen mandate would soon be retrieved by the rightful owner, Dr. Dakuku Peterside of APC. He called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Distinguished National Assembly members to discountenance Wike and Omereji’s theatrics, saying that it is due to their obvious bias that neither Amaechi nor APC bothered to either recognise or have anything to do with the kangaroo panel. [myad]
Director General of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu (right) welcoming the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lee Engineering and Construction Company Limited, Chief Lee Ikpea, during a courtesy call on Odumodu, in Abuja, today, Thursday. [myad]
Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdulahi has given assurance that the authority would continue to encourage any effort designed to change the trade orientation of the country from import dependent to export. The Managing Director spoke through the General Manager Capital Project, Engr. Rufai Mohammed in a paper titled: “Providing Enabling Port Infrastructure to Enhance Trade” at the just concluded two day International Seatrade and Investment Convention (ISIC) 2015, under the theme “Exploring New Trade Frontiers.” Habib Abdulahi said to achieve such objective and more, federal government needs to work with private sector to provide adequate port infrastructure to facilitate export activities through the nation’s seaports. He also listed other factors which he said could be extraneous to the Authority and which are also critical towards achieving enhanced export activities in the nation’s seaports. The NPS boss insisted that the provision of appropriate port infrastructure is necessary to enhance trade in the economy. Habib made it clear that seaports have been globally accepted to account for over 80 per cent by volume of International trade and commerce and that for a seaport to be competitive, it must have a robust infrastructural base amongst other requirements. He said that with the major infrastructural improvements embarked upon by the Authority in its ports and harbour in all its four pilotage districts, coupled with the impending 25 year port master plan which has reached an advanced stage, the Organisation is being positioned to properly meet the demand of all categories of port users for both imports and exports. Habib explained that mindful of the Federal Government determination of delivering an efficient port system for the overall good of the nation’s economy, the Authority is consolidating and entrenching the gains of the port reform by facilitating and synergizing the activities of the Private Terminal Operators, Shipping Lines, Freight Forwarders and other stakeholders, as well as improving the existing port infrastructure. The Managing Director who enumerated a number of completed and on-going capital projects embarked upon by the Authority explained that the projects were meant to add efficiency to the nation’s seaports as well as to make the system competitive, effective and user friendly. “Sustained efforts at providing the enabling port infrastructure has impacted on the overall port operational efficiency.” In his goodwill message at the opening ceremony of the convention, the Managing Director commended the organisers of the event, which was the first of its kind in the nation’s maritime industry, for their fore-sight and said the event would not have come at a better than now “as the nation strives to promote export trade, in that way changing the orientation of our nations sea trade which is import dependent.” [myad]
Nigeria House of Representatives has ordered an investigation into the implementation of the Land Swap Policy initiated by former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Muhammad. The move followed a motion by Rep. Yunusa Abubakar (Gombe-APC) representing Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency of Gombe State.
In the motion, Abubakar stressed the need to investigate the abandoned capital projects and alleged malpractice associated with the land swap deals in the FCT.
He expressed dismay that most infrastructure-based projects in the FCT had been abandoned, after the administration initiated them and made adequate provisions for such in its budgets.
He said that the immediate past administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan allegedly approved variations in the contract values of some of the projects without due process.
The representative said that in a bid to source funds as additional revenue, the FCTA embarked on land swap policy.
He added that in the policy, green lands were granted to estate developers to build roads, install electricity, potable water, drainages and sewage lines.
He said that investigation was needed, following widespread allegations that the selection of investors was tainted with fraudulent practices and undue favoritism.
“The beneficiaries of the Land Swap Policy have resorted to selling the lands to the public at exorbitant prices in utter disregard for the principles of the land swap deals.”
The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, who presided over the plenary, mandated the Committee on the FCT, when constituted, to carry out the investigation.
The Committee is also to unravel the cause or causes of frequent contract variations and abandonment of capital projects by the Administration.
It will report back to the House its findings with appropriate recommendations to checkmate further breaches, if any. [myad]
President of the United States of America, Barack Obama has called the head of medical charity Doctors without Borders (MSF) and the Afghan President to apologize for the US air strike which hit a hospital in the provincial capital of Kunduz.
Obama was said to have called Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani and MSF President, Joanne Liu to apologize for the air strike that killed 22 people and injured 37 others.
White House spokesman, Josh Earnest said that Obama offered his condolences to the aid group’s staff and assured that there would be a thorough and objective accounting of the facts.
Earnest said that Obama told the group that the US, if necessary, would make changes so such incidents are less likely to happen.
The White House said Obama also pledged to keep working closely with Ghani’s government. [myad]
Former Nigeria Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has dumped Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and announced that he is leaving active politics.
Clark who is an Ijaw leader said in Abuja today when a group, Think Nigeria First Initiative, paid him a courtesy visit at his residence, said that he would not join the governing party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Clark, who was a staunch supporter of former President Goodluck Jonathan, however, praised the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that it is wrong for anyone to accuse the President of fighting a selective war in his drive to return sanity into the polity even as he called on Nigerians not to distract the President from achieving his goal. He also appealed to the President to remain focus in his desire to rid the country of corruption. [myad]
The head coach of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, Thomas Finke has made it clear to his players that this weekend’s friendly game against the Super Eagles of Nigeria isn’t friendly at all but ‘war.’ He said that the march will be part of his team’s massive preparation for their world cup qualifiers in November.
Both teams will kick off their World Cup campaign in November, before continuing their AFCON 2017 qualifiers in March.
Finke was quoted by the Indomitable Lions media officer, Vincent De Paul Atangana as having reminded his players about the importance of the regrouping in Belgium, adding: ”the friendly with Nigeria is important and it is to prepare the team for 2018 World Cup qualifiers which begins in November.”
Nigeria will face Cameroon in an international friendly in Belgium on Sunday, three days after the Super Eagles face Congo DR.
The Eagles coach also reiterated that the games are meant to help him fine tune his team ahead of their 2018 world cup qualifiers against either Djibouti or Swaziland. [myad]
Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has dragged former senior special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on media and communications, Dr. Doyin Okupe and two others to the Federal High Court in Lagos over N34,168, 064.51 loan which they have allegedly refused to pay to Gulf Bank Plc.
Joined with Okupe in in the suit are an investment company, Value Trust Investment Limited and a Director of the company Mr. Ray Ahazie.
NDIC as the liquidator of Gulf Bank Plc in the suit is claiming from Okupe the chairman of the investment company and other defendants the sum of N34,168, 064.51. as outstanding balance of a loan they took from liquidated Gulf Bank Plc. but alleged to have refused to pay.
NDIC is also claiming the interest on the said sum at the rate of 21 percent per annum from May 2007, until the final liquidation of the said sum.
Initially, NDIC had filed an application before the court to place the suit on an undefended list before Dr Okupe and other defendants in the suit sought the leave of the court to file their defence and counter claim.
NDIC in its statement of claim filed before the court on 10 July, 2007 by its lawyer, Dr. Abiodun Layonu, stated that the defendants were granted a credit facility in October 2000 by Gulf Bank Plc, to finance the importation of 10,000 metric tonnes of rice for delivery to the Balyesa state government in the sum of N448, 000, vide an offer letter dated 27 October, 2000, and that the terms and conditions of the offers and acceptance were later formalised in a memorandum of agreement duly signed and stamped between the bank and the defendants.
The plaintiff stated that in securing the facility granted the defendants, the Balyesa state government through its banker, Society Generale Bank granted a bank guarantee in contract sum of N500 million in favour of Gulf Bank and in further securing the facility, the Investment company’s directors, Dr. Okupe and Ahazie, entered into joint and several guarantees to the full amount granted in favour of Gulf Bank Plc. NDIC further stated that when the ship carrying the 10,000 metric tonnes of rice arrived Nigerian territorial waters on 28 December, 2000, it could not berth at Apapa Port until 3 January, 2001, because the port was congested. The ship arrived Port Harcourt territorial waters on 26 July, 2001, but refused to berth on the ground that the shipping agency fee of $155,000, (about N18.6 million) had not been paid.
Upon enquiry, Nigeria’s representative of the shipping company, Koda International Nigeria Limited, informed Gulf Bank Plc that a bill of $155,000, had been sent to the first defendant, Value Trust Investment Limited, for settlement as per the agreement between the investment company and the overseas supplier Luck Rice International. But NDIC stated that it had no knowledge of such agreement on the shipping fee.
The plaintiff stated further that Gulf Bank Plc upon further enquiry was informed by Koda International Nigeria Limited that the $155,000, was for port dues, that is, harbour, conservancy and anchorage fees, and after reviewing the Charter Party agreement between Value Trust Investment Ltd and Lucky Rice International under “Clause 28”, showed that liability for the payment of shipping fees was actually for Value Trust Investment Ltd, and when it appeared that the investment company could not come up with the $155,000 shipping agency fees, Gulf Bank decided to pay the fee to Koda International Nigeria Limited.
NDIC further averred that when Balyesa state government reneged on its promise to take the rice, Gulf Bank was forced to commence an open market sale of the rice, before the open market sale of the rice, some of the bags were damaged, culled or lost on board which consequently affected the amount realized from the sales. It stated that the total number of sound bags stood at 196,000; torn bags 2,941; caked or stained bags 869; public relations bags 105; and leap on board 85 bags.
At the end of the sales, Gulf Bank was only able to realize the sum of N454,574,150, in the account resulting in a difference of N70, 425, 850 between the initial overdrawn position of N525 million in Value Trust Investment Limited account, and the difference has been attracting interest since 2001.
Sometime in September 2005, it had a meeting with the defendants at the Ikoyi office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to resolve the indebtedness of the defendants. It was agreed in its letter dated 21 September, 2005, to waive the sum of N196,642,996.08, from the outstanding debt of N240,811,060.59, thereby repayment due to Gulf Bank stood at N44,168,064.51 and sequel to the meeting at the EFCC office in September 2005, the defendants were only able to pay the sum of N10 million, leaving the outstanding balance unpaid in the sum of N34, 168, 064, 51.
. However, the defendants have refused, neglected and failed to liquidate their indebtedness despite repeated demand on same and despite the fact that the defendants have admitted owing the aforesaid debt, as this was evidenced in their letter dated 15 February, 2006.
Consequently, NDIC is claiming the sum of N34,168,064.51, being the agreed outstanding indebtedness of the defendants; and interest on the said sum at the rate of 21 percent per annum until the final liquidation of the said sum. It is also claiming the cost of instituting the legal action.
However, in an amended statement of defence and counter claim, Dr Okupe, while denying not owing Gulf Bank Plc is counter claiming the sum of N100million against NDIC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as general damages for the wrongful detention, torture, gruelling frustration, health challenges he suffered and the exorbitant cost of his special meals in detention which EFCC could not provide.
Okupe alleged that the bank decided unilaterally without notice to sell the 10,000 metric tonnes of rice thereby preventing their company from repaying what was outstanding on its account. Consequently, the bank breached the contract as it did not allow the Government of Bayelsa state of Nigeria or its agent to sell the rice from which their company are now liable to NDIC or Gulf Bank in the sum of N34,168,064.51
Okupe further alleged that the letter purportedly written by Value Trust Investment Ltd was no agreement that the defendants were owing the bank N34,168,064.51 as the letter clearly stated that the indebtedness was being forced on the company due to pressure, detention and coercion by EFCC and his unjustifiable detention and torture by the officers of the anti-graft agency.
Consequently, he contended that the claim of the plaintiff is not only frivolous, but gold digging, vexatious and lack in merit and should be dismissed, while his counter-claim should be allowed by the court.
The presiding judge, Saliu Saidu has adjourned till 27 October, 2015 when legal hostility between the two parties will commence. [myad]
A 51-year-old man, Sunday Imoleayo, who is seeking the dissolution of his 28-year-old marriage to his wife, Funmise, has told an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court, Ekiti State that his wife was impregnated by one of her numerous lovers and allegedly aborted it.
Imoleayo, who resides at Omolayo, behind Queen’s Court, Ado Ekiti, the state capital, said his wife sleeps around with several men, adding that she confessed to him that she had aborted a pregnancy belonging to one of her lovers.
“She fell sick and after I had taken her to many hospitals for treatment without solution, the family elders consulted the deity and it was found out that she had committed adultery.
”They told her that for her to get well, she must confess and that was when she confessed that she had aborted a baby for one of her boyfriends.”
Funmise, 45, on her part debunked the allegations, saying that it was her husband who had abandoned her for a long period of time without considering her and the children.
She however agreed to the dissolution of the union while asking the court to award the custody of their daughter to her.
While delivering his verdict, the President of the court, Joseph Ogunsemi, dissolved the union and awarded custody of the 15-year-old daughter to Funmise. He said that the first son who is 27, should decide who to stay with. [myad]
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
