NNPC Threatens Legal Action Against Online Medium Over Contract Inflation Allegation

September 7, 2020

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is angry with publication in an unnamed online medium alleging that the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project was inflated to the tune of $1.527billion, describing such publication as false, baseless and unfounded.

A statement today, September 7 by the Corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said that the NNPC is considering instituting legal actions against the medium and its collaborators.

The statement said that the Corporation was compelled to confirm the allegation with the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) which completely rejected the speculative analysis of the online medium as false and not portraying the true position of the BPP’s report on the subject.

“This is clearly a concocted analysis aimed at attacking the character of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, and the integrity of the Bureau of Public Procurements (BPP). Mallam Mele Kyari did not become the GMD until July 2019 and he is being mentioned in a process that took place in 2017 by the account of the publication. This is rather unfortunate and malicious, considering that a further cut of $300million of the contract value was achieved under the Mele Kyari-led NNPC Management leading to the recognition by the Federal Executive Council as an unprecedented action.”

The statement said that BPP, following a detailed review and analysis of the procurement bid, confirmed that the unit costs for line pipes adopted by the NNPC for the project were reasonable when compared with current market prices for 40”, 36”, 20” and 14” steel pipes, adding that it was on that basis that BPP confirmed and granted certificate of no objection dated August 11, 2017.

The statement said that the AKK project underwent a transparent and open competitive tender process that resulted in the emergence of the most competitive bidders, wondering how a competitive tender process could be inflated.

“Approval of all relevant authorities were obtained after an intense scrutiny by the various agencies. This is a deliberate attempt to mislead the Nigerian public with baseless information.”

It said that the AKK pipeline project was one of the key landmark projects that have had transparent processes from inception to date, with the entire evaluation exercise carried out by NNPC and Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

The corporation cited the various stringent due process reviews and scrutiny, internally and externally, which the AKK pipeline project was subjected to to include:

. Conduct of project bankability study, at project’s conception in 2013, undertaken by Standard Chartered Bank to confirm appetite for attracting financing from international community

• Execution of project feasibility and Front End Engineering Design (FEED) by a reputable international company, ILF of Germany, in 2014. The details developed at this phase had enough engineering design details to enable a competitive class of estimate to be submitted by the contractors

• Advertisement of the project in both local and foreign print media in 2013. After completion of the FEED study by ILF in 2015, the prequalified bidders were issued tender documents

• Competitive tendering and evaluation of the bids by both NNPC and transaction advisers, Alpine and also by a team from ICRC

• Extensive review of the project design and the final cost in 2017 by the BPP, culminating in the issuance of a Certificate of No Objection in August 2017

• Receipt of due process certificates for the project, including Original Business Case and Final Business Case from ICRC and Local Content Compliance Certificate from Nigerian Content Development and Management Board (NCDMB) before presenting to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval in December 2017

• Renegotiation of the contract when financing was not to be provided by the contractors following a stalemate due to the inability of the company awarded the contract to progress financing in 2019, leading to further cut of $300million of the contract value under the Mele Kyari-led NNPC Management

• Formation of a Steering Committee in July 2020 by Mallam Mele Kyari comprising key project stakeholders as NNPC, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, the Central Bank, Debt Management Office, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and representative from the Presidency to ensure transparency in the implementation of the project.

The statement said that after several failed attempts in the last 13 years to commence the AKK project activities, the leadership of Mallam Mele Kyari, within one year of stewardship brought the project on track leading to the award of the contract at a competitive price and eventual flag off of construction that the world witnessed in June 2020.

It called on all well-meaning Nigerians to give the Mallam Mele Kyari-NNPC led Management the credit it deserves, even as it encouraged them to follow the execution of the project which it said was being undertaken in a transparent and aggressive manner in line with Transparency, Accountability, Performance Excellence Agenda of the Corporation.

NNPC advised members of the public to ignore the online medium report which it described as malicious, baseless and a direct attack on the character of the person of its Group Managing Director and the BPP, and designed to distract Mallam Kyari from successful pursuit of delivering the Next Level Agenda of President Buhari.

Nigeria’s Economy And Plight Of The Poor Masses, By A. U Atima

Editorial staff

September 7, 2020

According to the latest World Bank Nigeria Development update (NDU), the Nigerian economy is expected to plunge into severe economic recession, the worst in almost 40 years due to the collapse of oil prices and the outbreak of the Coronavirus disease.

Though, the report from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control indicates a total of 156 new cases confirmed ͅas at 4^th September 2020 shows the lowest in six month since the Pandemic sprung. Experts have opined that economic downturn is imminent and that Nigeria economy contracted by 6.1% year on year in the Q2 of this year. Latest report from NBS (Nigeria Bureau of Statistics) the dip follows 13 quarters of positive but low growth rate wherein the 6.1% is also Nigeria’s steepest in the last 10 years.

As with most other economies around the world, the sharp drop in Nigeria’s GDP growth is largely down to the slow in economic activity after the country resulted to lockdown back in April to curb the spread of the virus. In the wake of the Pandemic the World Bank forecast a decline of -3.2% for 2020 –a 5% point drop from its previous projections.

The recent economic data shows Nigeria’s government continues to fall far short of projections in its ERGP (economic recovery & growth plan) created in the aftermath of 2016 recession to set out aggressive growth targets from 2017-2020. There is also little sign of a quick turnaround in Nigeria’s economic woes as the World Bank predicts Africa’s most populous country is set for its worst recession in four decades.

The details of Nigeria’s economic contraction also come barely a week after a grim report on unemployment rates which showed 27.1% of Nigeria’s labour force which means 27.1 million Nigerians are unemployed (the highest in Nigeria’s history), this revelation is expected to plump up as the Pandemic ravage on.

More so, the Nigeria’s economy has also been crippled by external factors too as the Coronavirus resulted in a near-total shutdown of economic activity around the world. The accompanying steep drop in oil prices amid a drop in global demand left Nigeria drastically shorn of earnings given its dependence on the commodity as its biggest revenue source. To expatiate, the US slashed its Nigerian crude oil imports by 11.67 Million barrels in the first five months of 2020, compared to what it bought in the same period of 2019.

Despite this clear economic conundrum and the concomitant ripple effect on poor masses, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari within a week increased fuel pump price from N145 to N160 per liter at retail market, electricity tariff hiked from N22 to N66 per unit, interest on savings in banks reduced to 1.25 from 3.75%, DSTV subscription increased, staple foods like rice, beans, maize, garri, plantain all increased at all-time high, building material from cement, block, sharp sand, wood all increased too, same with service sector of the economy.

The President Buhari regime haven superintend a ridiculous pump price of N160 per liter in retail market, his handlers have argued on the need to allow market forces (invisible hands) govern the price of commodities in conformity with principle of market economy which no doubt is the best form of economy banning the grouted and corrupt subsidy regime that characterized past administrations, yet it is also the duty of any serious government to protect citizens from the destructive effect of this free-for-all prices at this perilous time as it is the case in other market economies even though the insincerity, policy summersault and inconsistency of this administration is overwhelmingly disturbing.

For emphasis, a sensory look into what informed hike in fuel pump price was to create a window of fund-haven to the government at the expense of the poor masses. To clarify, the cost driver for determining fuel pump price in a market economy is the currency exchange, and available data shows crude oil price in the past six months hovers around $40 & $ 45 per barrel. In the last three months, we have experienced 25% devaluation of naira, hence the government creating more money for itself while passing the burden to Nigerians.

Moving forward, PMB administration must stop holding Nigerians to ransom, and must be seen to be sensitive to the plight of the already suffocating masses. The present fuel pump price of N160 per liter must be reviewed downward while channeling palliatives to SME’s and not this shenanigan of a school feeding program during lockdown.

Atima is a Public affair analyst, wrote in from Ado Edkiti

We Didn’t Issue Red Alert On Planned Terrorist Attacks In Abuja – Nigeria Customs

Editorial staff

September 7, 2020

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strongly denied media reports claiming it issued a red alert on security agencies over a purported terrorists’ attack in Abuja, and neighbouring States.

A supposed internal memo of the Service, which was released late last week and went viral on social media indicated that the terrorists were regrouping around Abuja, Kogi and Nasarawa States, all in North-central Nigeria.

The controversial memo, purportedly signed by the Comptroller, Enforcement of NCS headquarters, H.A Sabo, claimed that the terrorist group had camped in five prominent locations in Abuja, with plans to unleash terror on residents of the city.

But in a chat with news medium, spokesman of the NCS, Joseph Atta, made it clear that the memo was fake and didn’t emanate from the Service.

“I don’t even know anything about it. The Nigerian Customs Service also knows nothing about the letter.” he said point-blank.

According to Atta, it is not the first-time messages or statements were being dished out in the social media about one issue around the Service or the other, including recruitment, vehicle auctioning and the ‘phantom’ memo on terrorist planned attacks on the nation’s capital and its neighbours.

Source: PRNigeria.

Edo Guber: The Contest Is Between Me And Oshiomhole – Obaseki

Editorial staff

September 6, 2020

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming Edo State governorship election, Governor Godwin Obaseki has said that the contest will be between him and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole.

Obaseki, who spoke during the closing moments of the PDP campaigns in Oredo local government, remarked: “this election is a contest with Oshiomhole. We have dealt with him at the national level, we will bury him politically in this election; because he has no regard for Benin people, he has no regard for us in Oredo, and we will show him that he is nothing.”

He said narrated how Oshiomhole decided to pick who will represent his (Governor’s) constituency in the House of Assembly, saying: “can you imagine the insult? That was where this fight started.

“Because he believes, in his own mind, that Benin people are like chickens – when you throw corn, they will run after the corn.”

Edo Guber: The Contest Is Between Me And Oshiomhole – Obaseki

Editorial staff

September 6, 2020

He said narrated how Oshiomhole decided to pick who will represent his (Governor’s) constituency in the House of Assembly, saying: “can you imagine the insult? That was where this fight started.

“Because he believes, in his own mind, that Benin people are like chickens – when you throw corn, they will run after the corn.”

Long Time Combatants In Southern Kaduna Ethnic War Embrace Peace

Editorial staff

September 6, 2020

The long-drawn enmity, fighting and killing between local farmers in Kaduna South, Kaduna State have finally embraced peace, with the association for Fulani cattle breeders in Kaduna, the Miyetti Allah, ordering its members to bury the hatchet and be their brothers keepers.

The leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) asked its members in Kaduna State to stop under-aged children from grazing cattle in the state, to avoid the destructions of farm produce of the farmers which often result in crisis.

This was part of the outcome of a submit put together by Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) at the weekend to restore total peace and security in the troubled Southern Kaduna area.

An eight-point communiqué issued at the end of the meeting which held at Wonderland Hotel Auditorium, Kafanchan read:

“The summit was attended by Ardos and other stakeholders from all the 8 LGAs Areas of Southern Kaduna Senatorial zone and beyond.

“It was also attended by the Security Agencies, Kaduna State Government Officials. Distinguished Senator Danjuma La’ah and Chief Anthony Hassan (Dokajen Jaba) also graced the occasion.

“The summit after all the deliberations it has reached the following resolutions: That we have agreed to reverse to our olden days’ relationship with our neighbouring communities in the area.

“We are appealing to farmers to allow our cattle graze on recognized cattle routes

“We have agreed to bury our differences and be our brothers’ keepers henceforth in order to foster development in the area.

“We call on our people to stop allowing the underage children from rearing cattle in order to prevent further destructions of farm produce of the farmers within the area and beyond.

“We also Advised our people to be vigilant and hand over suspected criminals to security agencies that may be found within our communities.

“The summit strongly commended the efforts of Commanders of operation safe haven and all his officers and men for their tireless efforts toward the restoration of peace in southern Kaduna we have never seen this kind of efforts from military commander before.

“Based on this reason we pledged our total support to the security outfits and all its efforts to restore total peace and security in southern Kaduna.

“We also wish to commend all the security agencies working tirelessly to restore peace to southern Kaduna.

“We appeal to the federal and Kaduna State Government to assist those who have lost their cattle’s and other sources of livelihood in other to alleviate the hardship that the victims are facing.

“We call for the establishment of joint community peace and security at all levels to monitor and maintain peace among neighbouring communities.”

Police Arrest Members Of International Criminal Network Over 14.7 Million Euros Deal

Editorial staff

September 6, 2020

The Cybercrime Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, INTERPOL, National Central Bureau, Abuja has arrested two suspects alleged to be members of a sophisticated transnational criminal network. They were arrested for their complicity in a major multi-million Euro scam touching on procurement of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The suspects, according to a statement today, September 6 by the Force Headquarters’ spokesperson, Frank Mba, are 50 years old Babatunde Adesanya a.k.a Teddy, who is a Master degree holder in Cell Biology and 41 years old Akinpelu Hassan Abass, who is identified as Managing. Director of Musterpoint Investment Nigeria Limited.

They were said to have cloned the corporate website of ILBN Holdings BV, Holland to transact with and defraud one Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn, a representative of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia of the sum of 14.7 Euros.

The statement said that the arrest of the suspects was sequel to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) received by the Bureau from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice conveying a request from the German Government for investigations into a fraudulent transaction on the procurement of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment linked to a Nigerian-based Bank Account.

The statement said that discrete investigations by INTERPOL Nigeria revealed that the suspects and their Holland-based cohorts, one Eduardus Boomstra and Geradius Maulder specialized in identity theft, cyber-stalking, cloning of corporate websites amongst other cyber mischiefs to defraud unsuspecting members of the public across the world.

“In this instance, the suspects fraudulently obtained from Mr Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn the sum of 1.5m Euro and another 880,000 Euro as advanced payment for the supply of COVID-19 PPEs valued at 14.7million Euros.

“Disturbed by the non-arrival of the PPEs, Mr Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn eventually visited the corporate office of ILBN Holdings BV in Holland to inquire reasons for the delay in supplying the items only to find out that the company never did business with him and that the transaction was a scam.

“The fraudsters merely cloned the company’s website and falsely presented themselves as representatives of the company before subsequently executing the fraudulent transaction. Consequently, he reported the case of fraud to the Police in Holland and this led to the arrest of Eduardus Boomstra and Geradius Maulder in Holland and investigations extended to Nigeria.

“Investigation by INTERPOL Nigeria further revealed that Babatunde Adesanya received 498,000 Euro from Eduardus Boomstra and Geradius Maulder through his Citibank London account and transferred same to an account number domiciled with a Lagos branch of a leading commercial bank in Nigeria belonging to Musterpoint Investment Nig. Ltd.

“While commending the Commissioner of Police, INTERPOL, CP Garba Baba Umar and operatives of INTERPOL Nigeria, Cybercrime Unit for a job well done, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni assures members of the public and the international community of the commitment of the Force to tackling cybercrimes and other transnational crimes. He reiterates that there will be no hiding place for internet fraudsters in the country.

“Meanwhile, the suspects will be arraigned before a competent court of law soon.”

Increases In Prices: Buhari Not Pandering To Wishes Of Media, Opposition – Presidency

Editorial staff

September 6, 2020

The Presidency has made it clear that “certain tough decisions” by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to implement long-delayed reforms leading to the withdraw of subsidies on fuel and others by allowing the market to determine their prices were not targeted at creating hardships for the common people.

The Presidency stressed that Buhari’s moves to implement development goals were not politics and that history will judge him in favourable terms “rather than his critics in the new media and the Opposition.”

A statement by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said that even though the people’s as they voted the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Buhari 2015, against the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) incumbent Administration, Buhari’s administration had worked hard to meet many expectations.

“But still, there are certain tough decisions which had to be taken to put back the country on the path of sustainable development.

“To stop the mismanagement of taxpayer money, eliminate corruption associated with subsidies on petroleum products, power, fertilizer among others, the administration took the decision to implement long-delayed reforms, withdraw and allow the market to determine their prices.

“Subsidy removal in these sectors had long been foreseen by successive administrations as game changers in search of solutions to move forward with the nation’s development. These are reforms that are necessary and overdue. Blueprint upon blueprint, timeline upon timeline had come and gone but courage to take bold decisions was not there.

“Over the last few days, one claim acquiring a potent resonance with the online community, sections of the Labour movement and the opposition is that the actions are ill-timed and ill-advised.

“There is nothing new in the fact that the country is today fighting multiple challenges along with COVID-19, including low earnings, near-collapse of the oil market, floods, threats of terrorism and banditry but the challenges notwithstanding, a good government must take decisions for the people’s good.

“As President, Muhammadu Buhari takes these difficult decisions, both popular and unpopular and as a leader because he is demonstrating the right courage to take such decisions as they become necessary in view of present circumstances.

“History will be kind to President Buhari because in addition to his amazing ability to command votes, he will be remembered as the President who made real contributions to economic and overall national development by eliminating the evils of corruption embedded in subsidies.

“In any democracy, the most important certificate in governance is acceptance by the people and, with the support of ordinary Nigerians, President Buhari has shown a rare determination to carry out the bold initiatives as these ones driven by nothing other than the greatest good for the greatest number of people. In carrying out the reforms, the President needs the support and understanding of all citizens-inclusive of the opposition parties, the labour movement and civil society groups.

“In these challenging times, the President is pushing development goals not politics and history will judge him in favourable terms rather than his critics in the new media and the Opposition.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to depart Abuja tomorrow for Niamey, Niger Republic to participate in the Fifty-Seventh Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

A statement from the presidency said that the one-day summit will deliberate on the Special Report on COVID-19 to be presented by President Buhari who was appointed the ECOWAS Champion on the Fight against COVID-19 during the Extraordinary Virtual Summit of ECOWAS on April 23, 2020.

It said that the Nigerian leader is expected to coordinate the sub-regional response against the pandemic.

“In furtherance of that objective, under the supervision of the Champion, Nigerian Ministers of Health, Aviation and Finance were appointed Chairpersons of the Ministerial Coordination Committees on Health; Transport, Logistics and Trade; and Finance respectively.

“The Summit will also receive a Special Report on the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme to be presented by President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone and Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), and President Alassane Ouattara, who is Chair of the West African Economic Monetary Union (WAEMU/UEMOA).

“The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean Claude Kassi Brou will present to the West African leaders, the 2020 Interim Report on activities of the sub-regional body including ECOWAS Vision 2050.

“The alarming rise in incidents of terrorism, insurgency, armed banditry and piracy will also come under focus, while the disruption of the democratic process by the military in Mali, will receive further attention.

“Similarly, in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Niger where parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled for this year, the imperative to strengthen democracy in the sub-region by respecting constitutional provisions, rule of law and outcomes of free and fair polls, will be emphasised.

“President Buhari, who will be accompanied to the Summit by ministers and other top government officials, will return to Abuja after the meeting.”

University Professor Dies Of Coronavirus While Teaching Her Students Online

Editorial staff

September 6, 2020

Paola De Simone, | Photo credit: Moises Lopez
@chapoisat

A 46-year-old university professor has died of coronavirus while teaching a virtual class in Argentina

Paola De Simone, who taught politics and international relations at the Universidad, Argentina de la Empresa in Buenos Aires, was speaking to her students when she suddenly started having severe respiratory problems.

An Argentinian college teacher, who said she struggled with coronavirus symptoms, collapsed during a Zoom call with her students, and died shortly afterward, according to the Mail Online.

The students asked De Simone to give her home address so they could call an ambulance, but she responded: “I can’t”.

She died afterward in a hospital, according to reports by local media outlets. A video, allegedly depicting the call, emerged online, but was later deleted from social media platforms.

“It is very complicated. I have been here [with the virus] for more than four weeks and the symptoms do not go away… My husband is exhausted from working so much at the moment”, Simone wrote back in June.

Source: Sputniknews

P & ID: Presidency Confidence In UK Court Saving Nigeria From International Crook

Editorial staff

September 4, 2020

The Presidency has expressed confidence in the ability of the UK Court in saving Nigeria from international crook, the Process & Process and Industrious Development Limited (P&ID) on the $10 billion arbitration case which the Court had just granted Nigeria’s application for an extension of time and relief from sanctions.

The presidency, in a statement today, September 4 by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu described the judgment as right, just and that it “provides a strong prima facie case that the fraudulent gas deal with P&ID and the subsequent judgment debt of $10 billion against Nigeria was a clear attempt to cheat the country of billions of dollars by a company that had not invested one Naira in our country.

“On the arbitration award, it is a source of huge satisfaction that the UK Court, among others, had ruled that:

‘‘Nigeria has established a strong prima facie case that the Gas Supply and Processing (GSPA) was procured by bribes paid to insiders as part of a larger scheme to defraud Nigeria.

‘‘There is also a strong prima facie case that that (P&ID) main witness in the arbitration, Mr Quinn, gave a perjured evidence to the Tribunal, and that contrary to that evidence, P&ID was not in the position to perform the contract.’’

The Presidency expressed delight with the processes that led to this outcome in the English Court, noting that it has given relief to the Nigerian government to further protect its national assets from criminally-minded organisations and individuals.

“The views of the UK court thus provide sufficient grounds for the Federal Government to go ahead and challenge the frauds perpetrated by the company and overturn the arbitration award.”

It quoted President Muhammadu Buhari as having commended the team of lawyers who represented Nigeria in the matter with P&ID, and reassured all well-meaning Nigerians and the international community of his unwavering commitment to fight corruption in all its forms and manifestation.

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