Senior Nurse In NAHCON Medical Team Dies In Makkah
A senior nurse in the medical team of the National Hajj Commission of A senior nurse in the medical team of the National Hajj Commission of Ongoing Recruitment: Civil Defence Warns Applicants Not To Give Money To Anyone
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has warned prospective applicants not to give out money to anyone with the aim of securing employment in its ongoing recruitment exercise across the country.in a statement today, August 24, the Media Assistant to the Commandant General, Ekunola Gbenga, made it clear that the recruitment exercise is free of any charge from prospective applicants, stressing that it is completely “free of charge” and is being executed in an equitable and transparent manner.
The Corps said that it beaming its search light on the perpetrators of the illegal activities, saying that information reaching the NSCDC indicated that some unscrupulous individuals are extorting money from unsuspecting applicants/candidates under the false impression that they can guarantee their eventual recruitment into the Service.
“No applicant is required to make any payments to any individuals or bank accounts at any time during the recruitment process.”
Federal, State, Local Governments Owe NNPC N797 Billion – NEITI
The federal, state and local governments are believed to be indebted tothe Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the tune of N797 billion.In a 136-page report by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the debts might not be unconnected with the expenses incurred as subsidy (on fuel importation) in the period under review but which was not paid by government.
The report, titled: “Pilot Study on Commodity Trading for 2017,” focuses exclusively and extensively on the sale of Nigeria’s share of crude oil and gas produced in 2017.
The report, which gave a breakdown and analysis of oil and gas production in 2017, also disaggregated the federation’s share of production by types, allocation, uses, details of the revenues derived from the sales, the receiving accounts, and allocation of revenues.
Details of the report made available by NEITI spokesman, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, showed that total revenue from sale of the federation’s share of oil and gas for 2017 was $14.5 billion of which $13.18 billion or 90.8% was from crude oil while $1.32 billion or 9.1% was earned from gas.
A further breakdown of key findings in the report shows that out of the 240.9 million barrels of production that went to the federation as its share of oil produced for 2017, Domestic Crude Allocation (the crude assigned for local supply of refined products) was 105. 9 million barrels or 44% of the share.
FIRS Liftings was 57.3 million barrels or 24% of federation share; Federation Export was 50. 2 million barrels or 21% of federation share; Third Party Financing 17.6 million or 7% of federation share while DPR liftings was 9.9 million barrels or 4% of federation share.
But the report found that NNPC deducted N297 billion from earnings from the Domestic Crude Allocation (the crude assigned for local supply of refined products) as costs and losses for under-recovery on petroleum products (N141.6 billion), N25 billion for crude and product losses; and N130.4 billion for pipeline repairs and maintenance.
It further found, however, that the sum of N77.92 billion was under-remitted by NNPC to the Federation Account from Domestic Crude Allocation in 2017.
NEITI said in the report that “NNPC acknowledged the under-remittance and stated that there is an ongoing reconciliation to net off the N77.92 billion from “the established federation indebtedness to the corporation of N797bn arising from KPMG Forensic audit of the corporation at the instance of the federation.”
This is not the first time the corporation has claimed of being owed by the federation.
NNPC has since 2017 being the sole importer of PMS in the country.
Immediate past GMD of NNPC, Maikanti Baru had in January 2018 when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) investigating the subsidy regime, said the corporation incurred N5.1 trillion as subsidy between 2006 and 2015 but that only N4.9 trillion was paid to it.
“NNPC incurred N5.1tr as subsidy as approved by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), but only N4.9tr was paid. The NNPC is being owed N170.6bn by the federation,” Baru had said.
Source: Daily Trust.
Ebonyi Governor Describes Activities Of IPOB As Last Kick Of Dying Horse
Gov. Umahi of Ebonyi stateThe Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi has condemned the rising activities of miscreants suspected to be members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), describing such activities as the last kick of dying horse.
The governor expressed deep concern that the group had now resorted to circulating all kinds of cheap lies and blackmails against him and his government, explaining that the miscreants have taken over social media where they dish out all kinds of unfounded lies in form of write-ups, audio and video recordings against him and his government.
In a statement today, August 24 in Abakaliki by his Special Assistant on Social Media, Emmanuel Igwe, the governor said that in as much as he cannot dignify the miscreants by joining issues with them, it has become pertinent to let the public know their new antics so they can be wary of them.
He said that having now realized that their fraudulent activities in the name of IPOB have been exposed, they have now gone crazy with all sorts of dangerous activities.
“I warned the group to desist from character assassination and blackmails against me and my Government or they will regret their actions.”
Governor Umahi warned “the unscrupulous elements indulging in the act to bear in mind that the cybercrime prohibition Act of 2015 is still in force, and that anybody caught must face the full weight of the law.”
He called on the general public to keep away from the miscreants and their activities as security agencies have been detailed to clamp down on them, even as he assured the people that his administration would continue to protect them from killer herdsmen and tackle other insecurity problems.
4 Centuries After, Millions Are Still In Slavery Today, President Buhari Regrets
President Muhammadu Buhari has regretted that about four centuries after slavery was supposed to have been abolished across the world, millions are still in bondage today more than ever before.In a statement today, August 24 to mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition, President Buhari said: “it is clear (that) slavery did not only thrive then. It still thrives today. Across the world, it is estimated there are as many as 40 million men, women and children living in forced servitude. They are the industrial victims of a business many believe was abolished hundreds of years ago. They are the modern enslaved.
“Their exploitation appears in many guises, though usually unrecognized as slavery. Many victims are unseen, hidden beneath opaque supply chains. Others are hidden in plain sight, entrapped by circumstances that rob them of autonomy. In any case, their labor, often dangerous, is no product of choice, and its conditions are self-perpetuating.
“In Africa, its modern forms include debt bondage, the enslavement of war captives, commercial sexual exploitation and forced domestic servitude. Holding people held against their will, controlling their movements and forcing them to work for the sole profit of others — wherever they are — is slavery today and always.
“The abolitionists of the 19th century succeeded more than any before: By working to extinguish the transatlantic slave trade that had claimed 15 million victims, they laid the groundwork to ensure it did not manufacture millions more. But their work is not done. We must take up their examples as we forge a path forward to eliminate modern-day slavery in all its forms.
“Slavery, once again, has become entwined in the global economy — and it is largely unseen. For instance, most of us might know in principle that the mining of cobalt crucial to our smartphones might have used forced labor. But what do we know of those that experience it? Just as personal testimony and resulting public pressure led to the passing of the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade in Britain in 1807, these stories must be told and used to inform policy. Once heard, they can elevate visceral reactions, driving the public pressure needed to ensure the application of anti-slavery laws.”
President Buhari noted with regret that despite the fact that descendants of African slaves have made valuable contributions across society, they are still dealing with the effects of this poisonous legacy, adding that they still have to navigate its everyday manifestations, such as discrimination, racism or lack of access to resources and opportunities. This must not be overlooked or forgotten.
“One distinction from then and now is important: the costs. From records, adjusted for today’s prices, the cost of a human-being-as-property was valued on average at $40,000. Today, it is just $90, sometimes even lower. We must remember that slavery is not simply a campaign of hatred; it is the pursuit of profit. One way to extinguish it in its current forms, therefore, is to make it economically unfeasible. This means making sure that any anti-slavery laws have bite, come with strong penalties and are enforced.
“It is also vital to have a robust tip-off and reporting system. Where this once meant detecting ships, today the signs are less conspicuous. The public must be shown how to see what is hidden in plain sight, particularly signs of suspicious behavior. This might seem broad. But vagueness should not give rise to reluctance to report anything that could be smuggling or forced servitude. If something doesn’t look right, report it, for you could be securing another human’s freedom.
“In Nigeria, our anti-trafficking agency has rolled out the “Not for Sale” campaign to protect against the deceptions of human smugglers, helping those who might be vulnerable to false promises see through the ruse and say no. These prevention programs are crucial.
“The appearance of slavery today might have changed. The institution has not. There are no radical solutions to conjure, only political will. But on this, we can learn from the past, the shadows in which modern slavery proliferates today.
“It is not enough to mark this 400th anniversary. We must use it as a platform to eliminate slavery in all its present-day forms. We should reflect in memory to find a better future, one that should ensure freedom for all.”
Buhari Greets Sultan Of Sokoto At 63
President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a special greeting to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III as he clocked 63 today, August 24.President Buhari, in a message today, August 24, commended the Sultan’s exemplary roles and contributions towards building a peaceful, secure and prosperous country
The President acknowledged the timely counsel and support of the royal father to his government’s policies and programmes, even as he commended him for championing poverty reduction, healthcare and education for the most vulnerable during his reign as a spiritual and traditional leader of the people.
He appealed to the Sultan, who is also President of Jama’atu Nasirl Islam (JNI) as well as President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and co-Chairman of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), to keep doing the things he loves most: “building bridges of peace, tolerance and development across Nigeria.”
NYSC Boss Detects 6 With Alleged Fake Degree Certificates, NYSC Call-Up Letters
Katsina State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Alhaji Ahidjo Yahaya has announced the presence of six suspected fake youth corps members with forged call-up letters and fake degree certificates. They were picked up during the ongoing registration for exercise at the State orientation camp.In a statement today, August 24, Ahidjo Yahaya said that two the suspects are females while the other four were males. He said that two of the suspects were caught through intelligent report received from the office of the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim.
“I got security report from the DG that two ladies were carrying fake certificates.
“Based on that, we set out security network to trap them and they were arrested. The two suspects had confessed to the offence.”
According to the Coordinator, the other four suspects were detected during the camp registration exercise of corps members deployed to the state under 2019 Batch B Stream II.
Ahidjo Yahaya said that all the suspects would be arraigned in the camp court from where they will be decamped and handed over to the police for prosecution.
“Before the opening of the orientation camps, the DG issued series of warnings to members of the public not to go the NYSC camp with fake results.
“But these people ignored the warning and decided to come to the camp with fake degree results. What a shame!”
Furor About Role Of Chief Of Staff To President, By Garba Shehu
Abba KyariRecent media and social media reports on the responsibilities of the Chief of Staff to the President have suggested that the role has changed. This is not the case. Today, under the Buhari II administration the role of Chief of Staff remains the same as it was under Buhari I.
It is worth stressing that the role and responsibilities of the Chief of Staff and the method of communication and arranging scheduling between Cabinet members and the President are, in Nigeria, based on the US model, where the same system operates – and has done for decades – in precisely the same way.
That role is to act as the head of the presidential administration at Aso Rock; to be an adviser to the President on any and all matters; to be the line manager for all staff at Aso Rock; and to manage appointments and scheduling for the President.
In the traditional presidential system, it is a primary function of a Chief of Staff, which may vary according to the needs and desires of each President, to supervise key State House Staff, control access to the office and the person of the President, manage communications and information flow and this includes that which binds the relationship with the two other arms of government.
During the President’s first term those were the responsibilities of the Chief of Staff, and they remain the same responsibilities today. There is no change.
When President Buhari explained to ministers that they would be expected to communicate with him and arrange scheduling to meet with him primarily via the Chief of Staff, he did so as many of the Buhari II Cabinet ministerial appointments are new appointments and cannot therefore be expected to know how matters of liaising with the President operate.
This is to stress that access to the President is open to ministers. It is not true that this is denied them in the Second Term.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on the other hand is responsible for ensuring the effective coordination and monitoring of the implementation of government policies and programmes. All cabinet matters must go through him.
Under this dispensation, a performance evaluation of ministers and Permanent Secretary will be maintained by the SGF. Two weeks after assuming office, they are expected to sign mandate acceptance documents.
It is time to end the unnecessary controversy, for the key appointees of the President to carry out their jobs.
- Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity wrote in from Abuja.
Justice Minister, Malami Vows To Prosecute Obasanjo, Other Past Leaders
Chief Olusegu ObasanjoAttorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has vowed to prosecute former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other past leaders, private individuals and corporate entities that connived to sabotage the country’s economy.
Malami who spoke at an event the Federal Ministry of Justice organised to celebrate his re-appointment, warned that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration “cannot afford to fail on account of lawless acts of corrupt and unpatriotic few who always derive pleasure in seeing us fail as a nation.
“The law must work; it must speak its firm language of justice at all times no matter whose ox is gored.”
Malami said that his first line of action would involve the prosecution of every person and institutions that engaged in what he described as underhand dealings that led to the August 16 ruling of a court in the United Kingdom that ordered seizure of $9billion in Nigerian assets.
“Sadly, in spite of the spirited and concerted efforts of the current administration to combat corrupt practices and rent seeking in all its forms, Nigerians woke up on Friday, August 16, 2019, to the rudest consequences of the underhand dealings of the past administration that has resulted in the award of $9 billion against the Federal Republic of Nigeria by a British court which ruled that Process and Industrial Development Limited, P&ID, had the right to seize $9billion in Nigerian assets.
“It may interest you to know that the dispute that led to the arbitration between the FGN and P&ID which consequently resulted in the said court ruling arose from a 20 year Gas Supply Processing Agreement, GSPA, purportedly entered with P&ID by the past administration in 2010 which contract P&ID never performed as agreed.
“That being said, it must be placed on record that the Federal Government strongly views with serious concerns the underhand manners by which the negotiation, signing and formation of the contract was carried out by some vested interests in the past administration in connivance with their local and international conspirators all in a bid to inflict grave economic adversity on the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the good people of Nigeria.
“As a government that has the mandate of the people, and their interests at heart, we shall not fold our arms and allow this injustice to go unpunished as all efforts, actions and steps shall be taken to bring to book all private individuals, corporate entities and government officials, home or abroad and past or present that played direct and indirect roles in the conception, negotiation, signing, formation as well as prosecution of the purported agreement.”
He decried the fact that the country is bedeviled with an existential crisis of nationhood that is threatening to tear it apart, “with needless calls for separation, dismemberment and ill-motivated restructuring”, blaming it on “long years of failure of our justice system”.
He said the Ministry of Justice would rigorously pursue judicial reforms targeted at protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the country, as well as promote the policy thrusts of President Buhari’s administration.
Malami said the administration had in its bid to further recover proceeds of corruption, decided to fully activate the provision of section 15 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act. 2011 (As Amended), against private individuals and corporate entities culpable of concealing, disguising, converting, transferring, hiding, removing from the shores of Nigeria, acquiring, using, retaining or taking possession or control of any fund or property they knowingly or reasonably ought to have known to have formed part of the proceeds of unlawful acts.
“As bad news to the rogues within our financial system, in the next four years, the Federal Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with anti-corruption agencies, shall be beaming anti-corruption searchlight on the financial institutions (F18) and Non Designated Financial Institutions, DNFIs, in order to make them pay dearly for the dastardly role they have played and are still playing in encouraging and deepening corruption in Nigeria.
“From arms procurement fraud, INEC bribery case to Diezani case and several others, quantitative data available to the Federal Government abundantly shows that financial institutions are directly involved in most of the major corruption cases investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, from 2015 till date.”
He said that the Justice Ministry would equally support the development and promotion of appropriate executive bills capable of achieving the objective of combating systemic and grand corruption ravaging the country.
“Where necessary, the Ministry shall initiate necessary executive orders to close apparent gaps in the anti-corruption initiatives currently in place in Nigeria. To compliment this, we shall be improving on the Ministry‘s asset recovery drive through collaboration with relevant stakeholders, and leveraging technology for greater efficiency; development of a culture of cohesive synergy among the three arms of government.’’
Obinwanne Okeke’s $11 Million Wire Fraud, We All Lose, By Uzor Onyemaobi