President Muhammadu Buhari has listed a number of what he expects an oil and gas industry investor, Chief (Dr) Leemon Ikpea, to accomplish henceforth as he clocks 64 years old tomorrow, December 19.
In a statement by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the President encouraged Dr. Ikpea to continue exhibiting the milk of human kindness, which has seen him awarding innumerable scholarships and bequests to uplift the weak and downtrodden, and commends same to other well-to-do Nigerians.
Buhari acknowledged that through the grace of God and hard work, Dr. Ikpea has risen from modest beginnings to the topmost rungs of the business ladder, even as he commended him for being an example to the younger generation.
The President acknowledged that Lee Engineering and Construction Company, of which Chief Ikpea is Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, is one of the home-grown investors in the oil and gas industry, thus proving that Nigerians can excel in the highly technical sector.
He prayed that Dr. Ikpea will continue to serve God and humanity in good health, and enjoy all-round prosperity.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has appointed the Country Manager, until recently, of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in charge of coordinating implementation of EITI standards across Anglophone Africa, Ms. Murjanatu Ibrahim Gamawa as EITI Implementation Programme Manager to help drive speedy attainment of EITI requirements across its operations.
A statement today, December 18, by the group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said that the move is in keeping with the NNPC’s resolve to deepen its compliance with the transparency standards.
The statement said that Ms. Gamawa’s appointment takes effect from January 2021, adding that the move is a practical step towards entrenching the culture of transparency in the Corporation.
The new EITI Implementation Programme Manager is a petroleum geologist who had worked at the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) as a petroleum analyst and team lead of the Oil and Gas Team.
Gamawa’s wealth of experience across the Oil and Gas industry and in EITI mandate implementation is expected to boost the Corporation’s compliance strategy and roadmap.
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has revealed how he facilitated the release of the 344 schoolboys of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State without the payment of ransom. The Governor who spoke to DAILY NIGERIA, an online newspaper shortly after the schoolboys were released by their abductors yesterday, December 17, in Zamfara State, said that he used repentant bandits and the leadership of Miyetti Allah to identify the syndicate that led the abduction, and then started the negotiation process. “When we established contact with them, I persuaded them to release them unharmed. “And so they did tonight. “This is not the first time we facilitated the release of our people without payment of ransom. “Ask anybody, we don’t pay bandits a dime. “What we do is to extend olive branch to them because they also want to live in peace. “As I speak to you, they are on their way to Tsafe, from where they will come to Gusau and sleep. “They will begin their journey to Katsina tomorrow morning.” Speaking on the confusion over which group abducted the schoolboys, 344, Governor Matawalle said: “Nothing like Boko Haram in this. “The bandits did it.” On the solution to insecurity in the North West, he said: “If all the governors will sit to address this problem by adopting dialogue, banditry will reduce to barest minimum. “I can tell you security agents are really trying. “When you remove political interference from their operations, you can get the results.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the security personnel, Katsina and Zamfara State governments for the release of kidnapped students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.
Buhari describing the safe return of the students as a big relief to their families, the entire country and international community.
Speaking today, December 17 shortly after their release was announced, President Buhari expressed the nation’s appreciation for the steps taken by all involved to make their release possible.
The President specifically cited what he called the “spirit of partnership and the collaborative efforts of the government of Katsina, Zamfara and military leading to the release.’’
He commended the nation’s intelligence agencies, the military and police force for providing the environment for safe release of the hostages.
“The Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, and the army worked extremely hard. As soon as I got the information I congratulated them. The Armed Forces know their job. They have been well trained and properly motivated.”
On the issue of detainees held elsewhere in the country by either terrorists or bandits, the President gave assurances that his administration is aware of its responsibility to protect the life and property of the Nigerians.
President Buhari urged the citizens to be patient and fair to the administration as it deals with the problems of security, economy and corruption.
He noted that the administration was fully aware that it was elected to resolve challenges.
“When we came, we made efforts that yielded the return of the Chibok Girls. When a similar incident of school abduction happened at Dapchi, we successfully returned all but one of the more than one hundred abductees. When this latest incident happened, we put in our efforts and today we have this result to show.”
The President pointed to the successes of the administration in dealing with security in the South South and North East.
He said the North West now presents a challenge which his administration is determined to deal with.
“We have a lot of work to do, especially now that we have re-opened the borders. It is unfortunate that the bandits and terrorists continue to get weapons even under the circumstances of the border closure. We are going to dare them. We will deal with all that.”
He prayed for the full recovery of the students, whom he said had endured significant hardships in the course of their six-day ordeal.
The President assured of the determination of his administration to return to safety all citizens held against their will.
All the boys of the Government Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State, abducted from their school premises on December 11, have been released by their captors.
The school boys, who were said to have been let off the hook today, December 17, are now in Shafe, a border town between Zamfara and Katsina States.
A source involved in the release said: “the Nigerian troops are with them now and on their way to Kankara.”
The Nigerian Federal government has expressed worry over the resurgence of coronavirus and may be forced to impose a fresh lockdown.
The Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, who spoke to news men today, December 17, shortly after the virtual meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said stressed that a fresh lockdown “would be the last resort in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.”
He said that the council expressed concern at the development and advised Nigerians to comply with health experts’ directive on personal hygiene and restrictions on the number of people in public gatherings among other protocols.
“It was resolved that proper measures should be taken again with very strict observation of the protocols and observation of some of the conditions that were laid, otherwise, we are going to move into a situation where it will be very uncontrollable.
“And for that, states were advised to go back and lay emphasis on the implementation or the enforcement of some of the protocols that we have earlier started in the first phase.
“Otherwise, we have to resort to the last aspect, of course everybody knows, going back to lockdown again which is not anybody’s doing.
“But then let’s all go back and observe most of the protocols that we have to curtail the further spread of COVID-19.”
Nigeria has recorded an upsurge in coronavirus in recent week with NCDC confirming 930 fresh cases in 21 states of the federation and Abuja on Wednesday.
In a bid to prevent further spread of the virus, the government has continued to sensitise the people on total compliance with the preventive measures put in place by health experts.
Nigeria has 75, 062 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1, 200 fatalities as of Wednesday night.
However, 66, 775 patients had been effectively managed and discharged from various care centres across the country.
Governor Lalong was shortly after the NEC meeting tested positive for the virus and announced that he was proceeding on self-isolation in compliance with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) directive on the matter.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has fingered an unnamed serving governor from Northwest as being the sponsor of bandits and other criminals that have been disrupting the security of the country.
In a statement today, December 17 by the party’s deputy spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, it said that its “investigation intelligence report” showed that a governor from the Northwest as colluding with criminals to cause violence in the region and called on the security agencies to act fast.
“Our security agencies have intelligence reports linking one of the Northwest governors of colluding and sponsoring the violent and criminal activities of bandits in the zone. I won’t give details because of the sensitive and security nature of the issue.
“However, relevant security agencies must as a matter of urgency, investigate the report and determine its veracity. Human life is not what we should play political chess games with”
The ruling party also alleged that the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Parties (PDP), is playing politics with the country’s security challenges.
It called on the country’s security agencies to “be alert to plots to further destabilise the Northwest region and frustrate the quick and safe release of students abducted following late Kankara Katsina State: Student kidnapping for (GSSS Kankara Katsina State) secondary school.”
Nigeria’s Northwest, one of the country’s six geopolitical zones, has seven states. These are Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara. The ruling APC controls five of the states, with Sokoto and Zamfara controlled by the opposition PDP.
Ebira Youth Congress (EYC) has expressed appreciation to the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for including youths in the governance of the state.
The youth group, in a statement by its President-General, Obiyo Ateiza Aliyu, particularly mentioned the governor’s directive that each local government council in the state should involve chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in the running of the council.
The youths pledged their loyalty to the governor as a way of reciprocating his offer and confidence in them.
“The entire youths of Ebira nation appreciate and commend the governor for being true to his words, justifying the fact that he is the people’s governor.”
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has tested positive to coronavirus following a test carried out on him and members of his family.
The test result indicated that Governor Lalong is positive while all members of his family tested negative.
A statement today, December 17, by his Director of Press and public affairs, Dr. Makut Simon Macham said that the Governor had gone into isolation while his close aides are being tested.
It said that the Governor, who is asymptomatic, will henceforth work from home during the period of treatment.
The statement said that all State matters requiring the Governor’s physical presence will be handled by the Deputy Governor.
“The Governor uses the opportunity to urge all citizens of Plateau State to observe all COVID-19 protocols as the pandemic is still prevalent.
“He advises citizens to apply all precautionary measures especially during the festive period by avoiding large gatherings, using facemasks, washing hands with soap and water and adhering to personal hygiene measures.”
President Muhammadu Buhari at Anti-Corruption Summit in London, United Kingdom 2016.
As he marks today, December 17 as his birthday, Muhammadu Buhari, driver of change and mobiliser of voters continues in his role as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, leading by setting examples as the country wades through the thick waves of corruption, insecurity and a Covid economy. David Aaker, the American marketing guru says every person has a brand that affects how the person is perceived and whether he or she is liked and respected. The qualities of uprightness and incorruptibility have given the biggest push to Muhammadu Buhari both as a military Head of State and a two-term democratically elected civilian President of Nigeria. As an assistant in his office, I attest to the fact that the Buhari phenomenon is not a product of marketing. In any case, experts in the field teach that marketing cannot sell a bad product. No matter how much money, so long as what you are selling does not measure up to expectations or is fake, all efforts in that marketing will fail. With discipline and consistency, President Buhari has convinced a majority of Nigerians and his peers who have retained him as the continent’s anti-corruption champion that he is sincere, credible, incorruptible and that he stands for good governance. Upon his assumption of office in May, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari sat at long meetings with teams led by Permanent Secretaries and heads of the various government agencies and departments. Those meetings took a few months to go round and were in effect, responsible for the delay in the appointment of ministers into his first cabinet. Before his inauguration, President elect Muhammadu Buhari wasn’t allowed to meet government officials, just as we witnessed in America recently, until the incumbent President agreed that the incoming President Joe Biden be met and briefed. President-elect Buhari therefore didn’t have the benefit of an official view of things because the administration he succeeded had decided that “there will not be two governments in place in the country; wait for your time”. So the President-elect bided his time until he took the office before getting a real glimpse of what was the nature of the treasury to inheriting; the state of security; projects going on and the disposition of the public service to implement his ambitious plans. One of the earliest rules set by the leader at the inception of the administration was that “I will not be corrupt and I will not let anyone of you to be corrupt.” The chance to spell out this message clearly to the senior government officials and the business community was when he met with the big companies handling government contracts: roads, railways, bridges, buildings and others. On this particular issue, the President had this important message:”We have been informed that percentage cuts- 10 percent or more are built into contracts, to be shared among government leaders and civil servants. This must stop. We will not accept kickbacks. “We have equally been informed that handlers of major contracts build homes for government leaders. You buy expensive cars and maintain them for the beneficiaries. When they or close relations fall ill, you take them to hospitals abroad, including the use of air ambulances when that is warranted at no cost them. “Our finding is that nothing you give is free. All such costs are built into government contacts. We don’t want that to continue. “Most of you have built the reputation over the years for doing good jobs, delivering them on time. So we will continue to patronize your services. But the the high costs will be checked. “From now going forward, the added costs and all this padding must end. If we ask for quotations from you, tell us the actual cost that the project entails. No ten percent, no added costs.” An eerie silence greeted the riot act as read by the President. No one in room complained against the assessment of the President nor was there a dissent. A young Nigerian designer, very successful abroad produced a gold wristwatch of the famous Rolex brand and embossed the picture of the President on its face. The President Commanded the success of the young man’s brand oversea, asked him to keep the name of Nigeria flying but directed that the gift be politely returned. The young entrepreneur picked up his precious wristwatch and left. Among the key arguments for the Petroleum Industry Bill now being debated in the two chambers of the National Assembly is that it seeks to curb what critics say is the “absolute power of a president to award, revoke and renew licenses.” At the pleasure of past leaders, influential individuals had oil wells gifted to them.
President Buhar and Graba Shehu
In an interview he once gave, the immediate past Minister of State, Petroleum Resources and Chairman of the Board, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr. Ibe Kachikwu said President Buhari as Minister and head of government never, not even once did he direct him to issue the gift of oil well, this or that license, contract or any sort of authorization but allowed all to come through due process. President Buhari equally abhors ostentatious living style. When a Permanent Secretary, at those early briefings announced to him that he was in receipt of N400 million from the treasury for the purchase of new cars for his office, the President’s question was, “what is wrong with the cars left behind by the former President? They are alright for my use.” He continued to use those Jonathan cars until just a year ago when one of the two Mercedes Benz cars broke down on the way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. That his austere and disciplined lifestyle were not a make-believe was on public display when the enterprising photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo captured the President in a picture he was watching a football match at home in Daura. Without meaning to do that, that iconic picture put out for the public to see the austere furnishings including a TV set not bigger than 36 inches wide. A picture tells more than a thousand words. Nigerians in thousands were caught saying, “wow, is this all that the President could have at home?” In seeking a holistic approach against corruption, the President has spoken all the time for the place of effective audits and other systemic checks. He has promoted the adoption of e-government initiatives and innovative technology. He found very progressive policies on the drawing boards, the Bank verification Number, BVN; the Treasury single Account and the IPPIS Payroll service which the previous government failed to implement and promptly put the mechanism in place for their implementation. Arising from this, gains from savings are today being counted in trillions of naira. In dealing with contractors and contacts, that is where you find oil in the hands of many leaders. Everyone knows by now that President Buhari does not use power, discretionary or otherwise, to issue contracts. Open bidding is the way to go and when approvals are needed, President-in-Council insists that the path to due process must be followed. The bidding process must be disclosed, company directors must be listed and a due process certificate must accompany the request for each approval. Because cash or cheque payments are no longer in fashion, contractors get paid without person to person interaction to reduce corruption. Using information technology, the arrival of the “alert” tells the contractors that the their payment is on account. Each government payment of five million Naira and above must be on public display in the GIFMIS (Government Integrated Financial Management Information System) that seeks to stem the tide of corruption. President Buhari believes that the road to reduced corruption in Nigeria and elsewhere is not an easy one. One experience he never forgets to speak about is that in which the counterrevolutionary elements who threw him out of office as Military Head of State in the 80s locked him up in detention, set free all those he detained and returned to them in full the proceeds of their corruption. Now he says, I follow the due process of the law. Beyond that, we will auction whatever we have taken from the corrupt, use the money to serve the people so that there will be nothing to be returned when others succeed us after the completion of our term. As I write, Committees under the Ministry of Justice have been set up to sell off all seized assets – aircraft, boats, cars, buildings, factories and so forth. Beyond the unyielding determination to lead by setting examples, President Buhari strongly believes that there must be consequences for corruption. When government leaders or officials commit acts of corruption and there are no consequences, the ones that come after them will engage in corruption with even greater vigar. Our President is determined to keep this lesson in place, and the best way to showing the seriousness of commitment is to lead by example.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant ob Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari wrote in from Abuja.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has listed a number of what he expects an oil and gas industry investor, Chief (Dr) Leemon Ikpea, to accomplish henceforth as he clocks 64 years old tomorrow, December 19.
President Buhari, The Anti-Corruption Hero, Leads By Example, By Garba Shehu
As he marks today, December 17 as his birthday, Muhammadu Buhari, driver of change and mobiliser of voters continues in his role as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, leading by setting examples as the country wades through the thick waves of corruption, insecurity and a Covid economy.
David Aaker, the American marketing guru says every person has a brand that affects how the person is perceived and whether he or she is liked and respected.
The qualities of uprightness and incorruptibility have given the biggest push to Muhammadu Buhari both as a military Head of State and a two-term democratically elected civilian President of Nigeria.
As an assistant in his office, I attest to the fact that the Buhari phenomenon is not a product of marketing. In any case, experts in the field teach that marketing cannot sell a bad product. No matter how much money, so long as what you are selling does not measure up to expectations or is fake, all efforts in that marketing will fail.
With discipline and consistency, President Buhari has convinced a majority of Nigerians and his peers who have retained him as the continent’s anti-corruption champion that he is sincere, credible, incorruptible and that he stands for good governance.
Upon his assumption of office in May, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari sat at long meetings with teams led by Permanent Secretaries and heads of the various government agencies and departments. Those meetings took a few months to go round and were in effect, responsible for the delay in the appointment of ministers into his first cabinet.
Before his inauguration, President elect Muhammadu Buhari wasn’t allowed to meet government officials, just as we witnessed in America recently, until the incumbent President agreed that the incoming President Joe Biden be met and briefed.
President-elect Buhari therefore didn’t have the benefit of an official view of things because the administration he succeeded had decided that “there will not be two governments in place in the country; wait for your time”.
So the President-elect bided his time until he took the office before getting a real glimpse of what was the nature of the treasury to inheriting; the state of security; projects going on and the disposition of the public service to implement his ambitious plans.
One of the earliest rules set by the leader at the inception of the administration was that “I will not be corrupt and I will not let anyone of you to be corrupt.”
The chance to spell out this message clearly to the senior government officials and the business community was when he met with the big companies handling government contracts: roads, railways, bridges, buildings and others.
On this particular issue, the President had this important message:”We have been informed that percentage cuts- 10 percent or more are built into contracts, to be shared among government leaders and civil servants. This must stop. We will not accept kickbacks.
“We have equally been informed that handlers of major contracts build homes for government leaders. You buy expensive cars and maintain them for the beneficiaries. When they or close relations fall ill, you take them to hospitals abroad, including the use of air ambulances when that is warranted at no cost them.
“Our finding is that nothing you give is free. All such costs are built into government contacts. We don’t want that to continue.
“Most of you have built the reputation over the years for doing good jobs, delivering them on time. So we will continue to patronize your services. But the the high costs will be checked.
“From now going forward, the added costs and all this padding must end. If we ask for quotations from you, tell us the actual cost that the project entails. No ten percent, no added costs.”
An eerie silence greeted the riot act as read by the President. No one in room complained against the assessment of the President nor was there a dissent.
A young Nigerian designer, very successful abroad produced a gold wristwatch of the famous Rolex brand and embossed the picture of the President on its face. The President Commanded the success of the young man’s brand oversea, asked him to keep the name of Nigeria flying but directed that the gift be politely returned. The young entrepreneur picked up his precious wristwatch and left.
Among the key arguments for the Petroleum Industry Bill now being debated in the two chambers of the National Assembly is that it seeks to curb what critics say is the “absolute power of a president to award, revoke and renew licenses.” At the pleasure of past leaders, influential individuals had oil wells gifted to them.
In an interview he once gave, the immediate past Minister of State, Petroleum Resources and Chairman of the Board, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr. Ibe Kachikwu said President Buhari as Minister and head of government never, not even once did he direct him to issue the gift of oil well, this or that license, contract or any sort of authorization but allowed all to come through due process.
President Buhari equally abhors ostentatious living style. When a Permanent Secretary, at those early briefings announced to him that he was in receipt of N400 million from the treasury for the purchase of new cars for his office, the President’s question was, “what is wrong with the cars left behind by the former President? They are alright for my use.” He continued to use those Jonathan cars until just a year ago when one of the two Mercedes Benz cars broke down on the way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
That his austere and disciplined lifestyle were not a make-believe was on public display when the enterprising photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo captured the President in a picture he was watching a football match at home in Daura.
Without meaning to do that, that iconic picture put out for the public to see the austere furnishings including a TV set not bigger than 36 inches wide. A picture tells more than a thousand words. Nigerians in thousands were caught saying, “wow, is this all that the President could have at home?”
In seeking a holistic approach against corruption, the President has spoken all the time for the place of effective audits and other systemic checks. He has promoted the adoption of e-government initiatives and innovative technology. He found very progressive policies on the drawing boards, the Bank verification Number, BVN; the Treasury single Account and the IPPIS Payroll service which the previous government failed to implement and promptly put the mechanism in place for their implementation. Arising from this, gains from savings are today being counted in trillions of naira.
In dealing with contractors and contacts, that is where you find oil in the hands of many leaders. Everyone knows by now that President Buhari does not use power, discretionary or otherwise, to issue contracts. Open bidding is the way to go and when approvals are needed, President-in-Council insists that the path to due process must be followed. The bidding process must be disclosed, company directors must be listed and a due process certificate must accompany the request for each approval.
Because cash or cheque payments are no longer in fashion, contractors get paid without person to person interaction to reduce corruption. Using information technology, the arrival of the “alert” tells the contractors that the their payment is on account. Each government payment of five million Naira and above must be on public display in the GIFMIS (Government Integrated Financial Management Information System) that seeks to stem the tide of corruption.
President Buhari believes that the road to reduced corruption in Nigeria and elsewhere is not an easy one. One experience he never forgets to speak about is that in which the counterrevolutionary elements who threw him out of office as Military Head of State in the 80s locked him up in detention, set free all those he detained and returned to them in full the proceeds of their corruption. Now he says, I follow the due process of the law. Beyond that, we will auction whatever we have taken from the corrupt, use the money to serve the people so that there will be nothing to be returned when others succeed us after the completion of our term.
As I write, Committees under the Ministry of Justice have been set up to sell off all seized assets – aircraft, boats, cars, buildings, factories and so forth.
Beyond the unyielding determination to lead by setting examples, President Buhari strongly believes that there must be consequences for corruption. When government leaders or officials commit acts of corruption and there are no consequences, the ones that come after them will engage in corruption with even greater vigar.
Our President is determined to keep this lesson in place, and the best way to showing the seriousness of commitment is to lead by example.