Entry For All Africa Music Award Opens On May 18

May 7, 2015

All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), in partnership with the Africa Union Commission (AUC) has announced that submission of entries for this year’s edition of the continental awards will open on Monday, May 18, 2015.
Music professionals of African origin, including artistes, songwriters, video directors, music/entertainment journalists and music producers resident on the continent or abroad are eligible to enter in any of the 33 award categories and entry submission closes on Monday, July 20, 2015. According to the organizers, works to be submitted must be produced in the year under review –May 31, 2014 to July 20, 2015.
Format of submission: Detailed information about eligibility and format of submission is available on www.afrima.org (1). Entries should be done by completing the registration form on AFRIMA website while a URL link of the music work on YouTube, SoundCloud, MySpace and other compatible platforms must be included in the space provided on the entry registration form.
For hard copy entries, download the registration form and the completed copy alongside two copies of the entry must be sent to the nearest physical address provided on the AFRIMA website.
The dates for entry submission and closing were recently announced by the AFRIMA President/Executive Producer, Mr. Mike Dada during the AUC-AFRIMA Joint Conference held on April 29, 2015 at the African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The conference witnessed by international media, select African music super stars, members of the international committee of AFRIMA and senior AUC officials, also served as a forum for unveiling the AFRIMA 2015 event calendar by the AUC Commissioner of Social Affairs, His Excellency, Dr. Mustapha S. Kaloko who formally declared the 2015 activities of AFRIMA open.
While explaining the series of activities and programmes lined up on the AFRIMA 2015 calendar for African music followers and lovers, Mr. Dada urged talented and eligible music professionals to optimise their chances of earning a nomination for AFRIMA in 2015.
“Last year, many artistes contacted AFRIMA Regional Directors and Country Directors complaining that they were not nominated. The reality is if an artiste does not submit his or her work during the entry submission window, then he or she misses the opportunity to have the music work considered or even nominated for its merit by the AFRIMA jury,” Dada said.
Earlier during his address at the cultural conference, Dr. Mustapha Kaloko who represented the AUC Chairperson, Her Excellency, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, reiterated the pivotal role of people in the African music industry in moving forward the Africa Union’s social development agenda.
“The AUC has an agenda, not for the governments of Africa alone but also for the young people. Our agenda is to move the continent forward in any way we can and people from the music industry are one of the best vehicles to move agendas forward. So, we are proud of you and your achievements in bringing the music of Africa to greater repute around the world.”
Dr. Kaloko added: “The AU calendar for Social Affairs wants to use every opportunity available to us for social development and we have particular emphasis on youth because we believe they are the ones who will continue to push the agenda for Africa’s development in the future.”
It will be recalled that the 2014 AFRIMA held in Lagos, Nigeria on December 27 in partnership with the Africa Union Commission. The star-studded event was televised live and produced along cultural themes. Hosted by multi award winning Nigerian music star, Innocent ‘2Face’ Idibia and bilingual Togolese radio personality, Maryse Acotie, some of the winners of the night included Ahmed Soultan (Morocco), Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Cindy Munyavi (Zimbabwe), Radio & Weasel (Uganda), Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania), Davido (Nigeria), Fally Ipupa (DRC) 2face Idibia (Nigeria) and Laurette Le Perle (DRC) among others.
It was sponsored and partnered by Diamond Bank, Peugeot, Procter and Gamble, MNet, ONE.Org, Beat FM, City FM and Metro FM among others. [myad]

We Don’t Regret Not Voting Buhari, Ndigbo Ohanaeze Says, Insists Ndigbo’ll Never Beg Him For Appointments

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2015

The Igbo apex sociology-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that Igbo people have no cause to regret for not voting for the Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 election, even as it affirmed that they would never beg him, as President-elect, for appointments in his cabinet.

The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Anambra State, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh, while speaking at a press conference in Awka, Anambra State today said that Ndigbo would never stoop so low to beg anybody for job, adding that the Igbo nation as an integral part of Nigeria, must get their due share in the country as a matter of right.

“We didn’t vote for Buhari because we didn’t like him. The circumstance of the moment made our voting proper, and we don’t regret it.

“Nobody can intimidate the Igbo because of the way we voted in that election; neither shall we beg anybody for appointments because we didn’t vote for him.

“Every zoning arrangement for appointments in this country must include the Igbo. So those who called themselves Ohanaeze elders, who went to beg for appointments for Ndigbo, were on their own. They are not speaking for us.

Ohaneze was reacting to a recent visit to Buhari by some persons claiming to be representing the Igbo to beg for appointments on behalf of the people in his government.

Dr. Eluomunoh said that Ohanaeze is not partisan but that at the appropriate time, “we shall meet with the President-elect to chart a course for the country.” [myad]

Photographer Describes Bride As ‘Ugliest Bride I’ve Ever Photographed,’ And Apologizes

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2015

A wedding photographer, Mr. Lee Maxwell Judd has described a newlywed woman as the “ugliest bride I have ever photographed” adding that she “whinged the whole time.”

Judd quickly tendered an apology after the post appeared on his Facebook page. The post appeared on the official business page of Judd, a wedding photographer based in New South Wales, Australia, and has prompted a flood of criticism directed at the page.

The abusive message came below a picture of a newlywed couple, Ashlea and Daniel Howard, who had hired Judd as the photographer for their wedding in February.

The Facebook page has since been inundated with critical reviews

The full post read: “Ugliest bride I have ever photographed. Whinged the whole time. Bridezilla #1.”

Mrs. Howard said she was “mortified” by the post, claiming that it came after the couple complained about a problem with the delivery of their photos.

Judd has since distanced himself from the post, saying the “page was compromised” after his account was hacked. The post prompted a flurry of critical reviews on the photographer’s Facebook page

He said: “Apologies to all concerned. My FB page was compromised by a computer hack yesterday evening.”

Users have posted hundreds of reviews on his page criticising him for the post, and have received angry responses in return – including one message from the photographer’s account that told a critic to “get back in your trailer.”

Mr. Judd posted a link to a news story about the incident on his personal Facebook page

Today, the account posted a response a comment that called out Judd’s “haters,” saying they lead “boring, hopeless and meaningless lives.”

On Mr. Judd’s personal Facebook page, he posted a link to a news story about the incident, saying “I’m finally infamous.” [myad]

Some Nigerians Buy Degrees At Foreign Countries’ Airports, University Commission Boss Says

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2015

The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie has confessed that some Nigerians go abroad to obtain university Degrees which they buy at the foreign countries’ airports.

Professor Okojie who gave the reasons why the commission has recently set up a committee to screen certificates obtained by Nigerian students who studied abroad, when he fielded questions from journalists shortly after the presentation of licences to two new private universities today in Abuja said however that all the universities abroad are not bad.

“Some are really good but it depends on which one. Some of our students who attended universities in Ukraine pass through the UK and get a second degree; in some countries, you can buy a certificate in the airport.

He said that the fact that a foreign university was approved was not enough as the programme pursued by a student might not be approved even as he expressed concern over the quality of universities Nigerian students attend in the West African sub-region, especially in Ghana.

“When they come for NYSC (National Youth Service Corps), they are referred to the Ministry of Education to look at the quality of their certificates.

“Recently, the ministry decided to set up a joint committee of NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education to look at the quality of those certificates; the committee has been set up but it has not been inaugurated.

Professor Okojie said that the committee comprises members from the NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education.

The universities that got provisional licences are Edwin Clark University, Kaigbodo, Delta State, and Hezekiah University, Umudi, Imo State.

[myad]

I will Spare No One In The Fight Against Corruption, Buhari Vows

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2015

President-Elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd)

The President–elect, General Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear that he would be all out to fight corruption, stressing that he would not spare anybody in the battle.

General Buhari who addressed members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akwa Ibom Chapter when they paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja today insisted that the nation’s problems were not ethnic or religious but corruption.
He said that corruption is third on his agenda, after insecurity and unemployment, adding: “so, the point I want to make here is that the problem of Nigeria is not ethnic or religious, it is corruption.

“This is what we are fighting, that is why corruption is number three in my campaign.
“The first one is insecurity in the North-East and the Niger Delta where people are kidnapped and ransom is being demanded which people cannot afford.

“The second one is unemployment, 60 per cent of Nigerians are youths, most of them, whether they went to school or not, are unemployed and that is dangerous.
“So we have to get the issue of the economy right to make sure the jobs are made available and we should try to kill corruption before corruption kills Nigeria.

“Let us practice what we preach as well, whoever wins as a governor too has a lot of work to do because corruption is fast becoming a culture and to try to caution people is not an easy task but it must be done.
“I know you all represent various constituencies, please pass our message and give them hope that we’ll do our best in the interest of all’’, Buhari said.

He reminded Mr. Umana Umana, the APC gubernatorial candidate in Akwa Ibom who lost to Udom Emmanuel (PDP) of his three attempts at Presidency during his political struggles in court, advising him to believe in the judicial system as “the right place to fight for your right and the right of the people you represent.

“I have appealed three times and arrived at the Supreme Court not because I believe the system had changed but this time around, in your own case, you were still denied even with the use of PVCs and the card readers.’’

Earlier, Umana said that he had filed a case at the tribunal because “figures declared in the elections by the Akwa Ibom State INEC were at variance significantly with figures captured by card readers and transmitted to INEC database in Abuja.’’
According to him, his people had hoped that there would be free and fair elections in Akwa Ibom State for them to vote and bring in APC government at both the state and federal levels.

He alleged that APC votes in Akwa Ibom were not allowed to count during the presidential election “because of massive vote fraud and wanton violence.

“We are a bit mollified that the widespread electoral malpractices and bloody violence that marred the purported elections in our state have been amply confirmed by independent, local and international monitors, including Civil Liberties Organisations.

“Other confirmations came from the Akwa Ibom State Caucus at the National Assembly, African Union Election Monitoring Team, EU Election Monitoring Group, U.S. Government, former Gov. Victor Attah and former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Don Etiebet.

“Such reports go a long way to confirm our stand that there were no valid elections in Akwa Ibom State.”

[myad]

39 Years After It Became A State, Benue Finally Connected To National Grid

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2015

About 39 years after it was creted as autonomous state, Benue state has just been connected to the National Grid to start enjoying electricity.
According to Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo who commissioned the the National Integrated Power Projects 220/132//33KV Sub Station in Makurdi today on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, it is a historic moment for the state.
The sub station was constructed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company at Apir, Makurdi, Benue State.
Namadi Sambo said that the NIPP Makurdi 330/132/33kV Sub Station is one of a series of power projects completed by the NDPHC under the NIPP, adding that the NDPHC has effectively pursued its mandate of implementing robust power projects across the country under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP).
Vice President Sambo explained that the Makurdi Substation is scoped with appropriate busbars, bays, switchgear and control equipment at 330kV, 132kV as well as 33kV levels complete with an initial 150MVA 330/132kV Transformer and a 60MVA 132/33kV Transformer.
“These two will ensure effective supply at both 132kV as well as 33kV levels to all of Benue and parts of Taraba as well as Kogi states while being equipped with a 75MVAR shunt reactor for effective voltage control. He said that the NIPP Makurdi 330/132/33kV location will also serve as a future hub to connect the 3,050mw Mambilla Hydro power plant on completion and its evacuation network to the national grid.”
The Vice President said that under the First Phase of its project mandate, the company has completed several power projects, namely, the Geregu II, 434mw capacity in Kogi state, Omotosho II, 500 MW capacity in Ondo state, 750MW capacity Olorunsogo II power plant in Ogun state and Phase One 504MW Alaoji thermal power station in Abia state while Benin Generation Company and Ogorode both of 450MW capacity each in Edo and Delta states respectively, are awaiting official commissioning’. Vice President Sambo stated that, ‘this brings to a total completion of 265 out of 296 distribution injection substations nationwide and several other power projects across the country. According to him, the nation’s power generation level currently stands at 5,500MW of which NIPP contributes about 2,600mw, a record that stands out in the annals of the power sector history in Nigeria’. Vice President Sambo is the Chairman, NDPHC.
Earlier, the Minister of State Power, Mohammed Wakil acknowledged the Level of political will exhibited by the present administration in driving the Power Sector privatization vision to a successful conclusion. James Olotu
stated that he NIPP was conceived in 2004 as a fast track government
funded initiative to add significant generation, transmission and distribution capacity to Nigeria’s electricity supply system.

[myad]

Ecobank, First Bank, Others Jostle For N1.8 Billion First Deepwater Discovery Subsidy Fund

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2015

Nigeria Debt Management Boss, Abraham Nwankwo

Information reaching us has indicated that some leading banks, including First bank, Ecobank Plc and no fewer than four others companies are now jostling for the possession of at N1.8 Billion being the subsidy accruals to the First Deep Water Discovery Ltd, following its indebtedness to them.
It was gathered that there are several suits presently at the Federal High Court involving First Deep Water Discovery and other creditors, including Ecobank Nigeria Limited, who have approached the Court to recover their monies from the First Deep Water.
So also other interested parties, such as First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Stallionaire Energy Limited, Olive Energy Limited, Bargamo Shipping Limited, Sulphur Stream Limited, Faiceck Petroleum Limited have a court judgment demanding the Debt Management Office (DMO) to pay the same money to them.
According to the findings by our correspondent, the Debt Management Office (DMO) has filed a response to the committal proceeding in the Ecobank suit and that the court has adjourned for hearing on May 13, 2015.
“This matter is complicated since there are many claimants for the same monies, as such, any suggestions and inferences in the same respect is subjudice.”
From the above, it appears that the DMO is being blackmailed to favour Ecobank at the expense of the other parties who also have in their favour, obtained judgements and court orders. But DMO has refused to be intimidated or blackmailed and it will follow the due process legally,” said a source.
It would be recalled that Ecobank Nigeria Limited had accused the Director General of the Debt Management Office, Mr. Abraham Nwankwo, of frustrating its move to recover a huge debt allegedly owed it by an oil marketing firm, First Deepwater Discovery Limited.
The bank through its lawyer, Mr. Kunle Ogunba (SAN), appeared on Tuesday before a Federal High Court in Lagos asking the court to imprison Nwankwo over alleged disobedience and contempt of court.
The DMO’s officer directly in charge of processing fuel subsidy claims by oil marketers, Mr. Umaru Abubakar, has also been sued for contempt of court.
The DMO is the agency of the Federal Government which processes fuel subsidy claims by oil marketers or issuing them with what is called sovereign debt notes.
Ecobank said that it had secured an interim order of Justice Mohammed Yunusa on February 25, 2015, directing DMO to transfer the outstanding fuel subsidy sum due to Deepwater Discovery Limited into the company’s account with Ecobank.
The bank had claimed that Deepwater Discovery Limited had a cumulative fuel subsidy claim of about N1.8bn with DMO, out of which it claimed that N845m plus was due for payment.
In the affidavit filed in support of Forms 48 and 49, which Ogunba said were already served on Nwankwo and Abubakar, the deponent, one Ajibola Ajiboye, alleged that in spite of serving the alleged contemnors with the papers for contempt proceedings they had refused to budge.
But Nwankwo and Abubakar have, through their counsel, S.E. Omoraghon, urged the court to refuse the bank’s prayer for committal order against them.
In a counter-affidavit filed in opposition to Ecobank’s committal proceedings, the Principal Operations Officer of DMO, Sandra Ipigansi, maintained that the alleged contemnors were never served with the papers for contempt proceedings in personal capacities.
Besides, Ipigansi said the issue of disobedience to court order did not arise, because DMO could not have transferred the fund as directed by the court as the agency was never in custody of any subsidy claims by marketers.
According to Ipigansi, the role of DMO in subsidy claims is more or less administrative, while the money is usually kept and claimed from the Central Bank of Nigeria by the concerned oil marketers.
She claimed, “Physical custody of the funds used for the payment of subsidy claims by oil marketers are, at all material times, kept and domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The 2nd defendant and its officers, by their mandate, do not keep custody of funds and do not directly touch funds meant for the subsidy claims payment and therefore lack the capacity to transfer funds to any account as directed by the court, as they do not have custody of the said funds.
“The duty of the 2nd defendant is more or less administrative and limited to the issuance of sovereign debt notes to oil marketers on the advice of the Petroleum Pricing Regulatory Agency, after due diligence and other necessary payment procedure.”
Ipigansi added that it was strange that a court would order DMO to remit the subsidy sum due to an oil marketer into the bank account of a judgment creditor.
Yunusa has adjourned to May 13 to entertain the commital proceedings and to make a decision.

[myad]

Journalist Drags Petroleum Minister To Court, Claiming N1 Billion For Alleged Mischief, Libel

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2015

An Abuja-based media consultant and former newspaper editor, Mr. Simon Imobo-Tswam, has dragged the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, before a Federal Capital Territory High Court, claiming N1 Billion as “general and compensatory damages,” for libel, mischief and the unauthorized use of his name, phone number and platform for image-laundering.
In the suit No: No. CV/1679/15, the Plaintiff alleged that the minister and her secret media agents use of his name, his phone number and the letter-head of his platform, Network of Progressive Activists (NPA), to engage in a media attack against ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as defend the minister’s alleged expenditure of public funds to the tune of N10 Billion on chartered jets.
Joined in the suit, which is before Court 26, presided over by Justice M.M. Kolo are: Messrs. Michael Mukwuzi (2nd Defendant); Timothy Ademola (3rd Defendant); THISDAY Newspapers (4th Defendant); Tokumbo Adedoja (5th Defendant); Vanguard Newspapers (6th Defendant); Chioma Gabriel (7th Defendant) and Anozie Egole (8th Defendant).
While the 1st Defendant (Mukwuzi) is a staff of the NNPC in the Media Relations Department, the 3rd Defendant (Timothy Ademola), is the Executive Assistant to the Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Student Matters, as well as the National Coordinator of NPA.
In the Writ of Summons filed by counsel to the plaintiff, Chris Alashi Esq. of Fair-Fields Solicitors and Advocates, besides the N1billion claim for “general and compensatory damages,” the Plaintiff is also praying the court for “interest on damages awarded at the rate of 18 per cent per annum on the judgment sum awarded from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is finally liquidated.”
The plaintiff is also asking the court for an order, compelling the Defendants to tender to him “an unreserved and unambiguous apology,” to be published in the Vanguard and THISDAY newspapers over the publications the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants “maliciously, malevolently, mischievously and wickedly ascribed/attributed to the Plaintiff which embarrassed, injured and devastatingly damaged the Plaintiff, and cast him in bad light before well-meaning members of the public and most particularly patriotic Nigerians.”
According to the particulars of the Suit, No. CV/1679/15 and filed on 27th April, 2015, after ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo published his letter to Goodluck Jonathan last in December 2013, entitled: “Before It Is Too Late”, Michael Mukwuzi (2nd Defendant), a staff of the NNPC, but acting as the secret/private agent of the minister, approached the Plaintiff to appear on AIT to castigate the ex-President and follow the AIT appearance with a pre-written response (Press release) in the plaintiff’s name/platform, which would be released to newspapers.
The Plaintiff said that although he refused these, “despite the attractive financial inducement offered, the 2nd Defendant (Mukwuzi), acting as the secret agent of the 1st Defendant (Diezani Alison-Madueke), authored/wrote the said Press Release, and, in conjunction with the 3rd Defendant (Timothy Ademola), caused same to be published by the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Defendants as well as so many other media outfits deliberately purporting that the Plaintiff issued the Press Release in conjunction the 3rd Defendant; whereas the Plaintiff never subscribed to, signed nor issued the said release.”
The press release, entitled: “Our opinion on the Venomous Open Letter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan and President Jonathan’s Necessary Reply
The Plaintiff is averring further that following public outcry of corruption, profligacy and financial recklessness against the 1st Defendant (Diezani Alison-Madueke) over her expenditure of over N10 Billion of public funds on her chartered jets, her agent (2nd Defendant) once again contacted the Plaintiff to use his name and platform (Network of Progressive Activists: NPA) to defend the minister on Channels and AIT as well as write articles in the newspapers in defence of her actions.
According to the writ, “The Plaintiff told the 2nd Defendant point-blank in the presence of the 3rd Defendant that neither himself nor the NPA, the platform over which he superintends as National Secretary, would defend such brazen acts of corruption, fraud, profligacy, financial recklessness and economic sabotage allegedly perpetrated by the 1st Defendant.
“The 3rd Defendant persuaded the Plaintiff to accept the proposal in view of the financial offer/inducement made the 1st Defendant as presented by the 2nd Defendant (her secret media agent), but the Plaintiff vehemently refused that neither can he allow the platform nor himself to be used to defend the weighty allegations bothering on corruption, fraud, profligacy, financial recklessness and economic sabotage levelled against the minister, since the facts were not within his knowledge and comprehension.”
The foregoing notwithstanding, the Plaintiff is alleging that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants went ahead to write the advertorial, The Unveiling of Operation Destroy Diezani, and sponsored the publication of same in newspapers, including THISDAY and VANGUARD newspapers of 26th March, 2014, using his platform’s letter-head, its e-mail address as well as his personal Gsm Number.
The Plaintiff avers that since the publications of the stories and advertorials, with his platform, name and telephone number, he has suffered untold continued to receive calls from family members, professional colleagues and church-members, accusing him of compromise, supporting corruption, economic sabotage and being bought over by the presidency and the ministry of Petroleum Affairs; a development that forced him to go into hiding for some time.
No date has been fixed for hearing.

[myad]

Company Boss Asks Government To Strengthen Local Content Law To Encourage Active Participation Of Private Sector In Economy

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2015

The chairman of Lee Engineering and Construction Company, Chief Leemon Ikpea, has called on the Nigeria Government to further strengthen the local content law to enable more indigenous companies, especially those in the oil and gas sector, participate in the development of the Nigeria economy.
Speaking to a group of senior editors in Houston, Texas, on the sideline of the ongoing Oil Technology Conference, (OTC), Chief Ikpea said the step if enforced will help to further boost the economic powers of Nigeria and help tackle the nagging problem of unemployment in the country.
According to him, the jobs and other allied services, which are before now handled by foreign companies, will be handled by competent Nigerian companies thus creating opportunities for them to become big players in the oil and gas sector as well as other sectors of the economy.
“My view on the local content issue is that when you give indigenous companies the opportunity to play in the oil and gas sector, as well as in other sectors of the economy, Nigeria will be better for it, because the indigenous companies would be able to support the government in tackling the problem of unemployment.
“The nation will also be saved capital flight as well as help boost our foreign reserve. The monies that would have been entering the hands of foreign companies will now be domiciled in Nigeria.”
The Esan born businessman, who was recently conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in business administration by the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma said: “I am able to be where I am today because the nation gave me the opportunity to participate in business. I fully support the local content law and urged the administration of our new president to do more to empower Nigerians who are willing and qualified to work in the oil and gas sector as well as other sectors of the economy. On the long run, Nigeria and the Nigerian people are going to be the ultimate beneficiaries.”
He thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for passing the bill into law, even as he asked Nigerians to support the administration of President-Elect, General Mohammadu Buhari to enable him bring the dividends of democracy to the Nigerian people.

[myad]

Pipeline Vandalism: Governor Amosun Indicts Federal Government, NNPC

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2015

Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun has said that the incessant vandalism being witnessed on petroleum pipelines across the country is a reflection of the state of the nation, however, accused the management of the NNPC of dereliction of duty which he said accounted for the incessant rise of the menace.

The governor, who lamented the inaction of the NNPC management when he visited the scene of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s pipeline that traversed the Iperu- Ogere road in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state which was vandalised last Tuesday, made it clear vandalism would continue unless drastic action is taken by the government.

He expressed disgust that neither the Federal Government nor the management of the NNPC as the agency directly responsible for the management and maintenance of the pipelines, has deemed it fit to take action towards finding a permanent solution to the menace despite the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan, in 2012, gave him an audience over the matter.

“Vandalism is a daily occurrence which shows the way we are as a nation. I still maintain that the NNPC is part of the problem, being the agency assigned to ensure that things like this do not happen. This is either dereliction of duty or neglect on the part of the agency of government.

“I don’t know why it is difficult for us as a nation to prevent the recurrence of this ugly incidence. I offered some solutions in 2012 when I visited Arepo and when President Jonathan invited me to his office over it, but nothing has been done about it till now.”

He also lamented that despite the advancement which modern day technology has provided in the areas of security, access to the multi-billion naira investments over the years by criminals remains unhindered.

The governor alleged complicity of highly influential people in the wholesale vandalism. [myad]

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