Group MD Charges Media Editors To Expose Corruption In NNPC

August 1, 2019

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kyari, has urged members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to expose whatever corruption they see in the corporation thereby ensuring transparency and accountability.

Mele Kyari, who received a delegation of the Guild, led by its President, Ms Funke Egbemode, in Abuja today, August 1, said that the major focus of his administration was to ensure transparency and accountability in the operations of the corporation.

According to him, ensuring accountability and transparency is not only the work of the corporation.

“As journalists, you help in shaping policies, we are honoured that you have come to visit us and that is why all our management staff are here to welcome you”.

“You are all aware of the challenges with the operation of the corporation, but we have promised to be transparent. Already NNPC is seen not to be accountable; you have the duty to make us to be accountable”.

“You must make sure that we do the work the way it should be, because all of us are stakeholders in the nation’s oil company. Hold us accountable by your work and support us in the effort of ensuring accountability and transparency.”

Mele Kyari also charged the Guild to always contact the corporation to get appropriate and correct information for factual reportage even as he called on the Guild to help to ensure the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which had lingered since 1999.

He added that appropriate legislation was imperatives to achieve accountability and transparency for economic growth and development in the country.

He noted that concerted efforts were being made to ensure that the nation’s refineries were up and running.

“We are also focusing on gas-to-power to help tackle power challenge in the country. We will look beyond our role to make sure that things work.

“Our doors are open and we are ready to work with you to achieve all our targets and goals,” he said.

Earlier, Egbemode congratulated Kyari on his appointment and described it as well deserved one being a thorough professional.

She said that major aim of the visit was to partner the corporation as the biggest enabler of the nation’s economy.

“Being an organisation that has major effect on the economy, we are willing to partner you and be the ones you can call to disclose what you are doing”.

“We are ready to work with NNPC to help Nigerians see the corporation in better light; we have our member in Print, Broadcast and online media”.

“We believe that when we work together, we will understand each other, this will foster accountability and transparency.”

Source: NAN.

As Big Brother, We Couldn’t Have Turned Our Back On Zimbabwe – Buhari

Editorial staff

August 1, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria could not have afforded the luxury of looking the other way, and had to offer a helping hand when the country was recently struck by Cyclone Idai that devastated the country

The President, who spoke today, August 1, when he received the outgoing Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Nigeria, Lovemore Mazemo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said: “it was a major disaster, and it caused damage in billions of dollars. Nigeria, despite our own challenges, had to provide aid to ameliorate the situation.”

Expressing happiness that the outgoing Ambassador and his country appreciated Nigeria’s hand of fellowship in their hours of need, Buhari also recalled the role Nigeria played to secure the Independence of Zimbabwe from apartheid minority rule.

“We remain proud of what Nigeria did in those days.”

Responding, Ambassador Mazemo, who spent four-and-a-half years in Nigeria, said that he found a home here, “and a family among your wonderful people.”

He said that the assistance given by Nigeria after the cyclone “went a long way to relieve our people.”

He said that the relationship between the two countries had improved tremendously in recent years even as he congratulated President Buhari on the confidence reposed in him by his people who elect him twice. He commended the leadership he has provided for Africa in the war against corruption.

Earlier in the year, Cyclone Idai ravaged Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi, and is believed to be the costliest natural disaster in South-West Indian Ocean basin. Goods and properties estimated at two billion dollars were lost.

Also today, President Buhari commiserated with the Bayonga family, government and people of Taraba State over the transition of the Gara Donga, a traditional ruler, Danjuma Stephen Bayonga.

The President, who described the late 81-year-old first class traditional ruler and retired policeman as a person devoted to the improvement of the welfare of people in his domain, lamented that Nigeria has also “lost an advocate of peace.”

According to President Buhari, the Gara Donga as a businessman, founding member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and one of the respected leaders in old Gongola State before he went home following the creation of Taraba State, was “committed not only to the peace, unity and development of his domain and State, but also the entire country.”

The President enjoined the family of the royal father, friends, associates and the people of Taraba State to take solace in the knowledge that the monarch lived an exemplary life which deserved to be emulated.

Ministry Warns: Marriages Conducted In Places Of Unlicensed Have No Legal Backing

Editorial staff

August 1, 2019

The Federal Ministry of Interior has warned Nigerians that marriages which are conducted in places that are not licensed have no legal backing in the country.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Georgina Ehuriah, who spoke at the Stakeholders’ Conference on Conduct of Statutory Marriage in Lagos, stressed that the implication of marriages that are not in line with the Marriage Act cannot serve legal purposes when the need arises.

The permanent secretary said that Nigerian law recognizes three types of marriages Traditional/Customary marriage; Church/Islamic marriage and statutory marriage.

“The Marriage Act Cap M6 of the Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 as amended, is the Principal Act upon which statutory marriages are conducted, legalized and adjudicated in Nigeria”.

“Sections 24, 30 (3) and 31 specify the duties of the Principal Registrar of Marriages as the printer of the several Books of Marriage and Certificate of Marriage for distribution to all registries and recognized licenced places of worship throughout Nigeria.

“As well as the custodian of the counterfeit, i.e the 3rd copy of the marriage certificate. The implication of this is that any certificate not printed and delivered by the Principal Registrar of Marriages is illegal and cannot serve the desired purposes,” she added.

“The ministry is currently building a data base of all statutory marriages conducted in Nigeria. It has also developed a data base of all places of worship licenced for celebration of marriages”.

“Let me at this point stress the need for strict compliance with the requirements as specified in the Act, as applications that do not satisfy the Law will not be approved. Administrators of places of worship are urged to meet these requirements in order to better serve their members”.

“It is very important at this point to emphasise that the conduct of statutory marriages in accordance with the law is of great interest to the government. It is the responsibility of government at all levels to ensure the sanctity of marriage by supporting any initiative aimed at promoting compliance with the Act”.

“It behooves on us as critical stakeholders in the conduct of statutory marriage to clearly understand the requirements of the law and comply accordingly,” she said.

Ehuriah said that marriage, being an important and sacred institution, plays a major role in social stability and sustainability of humanity.

“Most people are products and beneficiaries of the institution of marriage. Indeed, a very large industry worth billions of naira is built around the celebration of marriage and the sector generates a lot of employment and entrepreneurship”.

”It also generates revenue for government at all tiers.

“However, our eyes should not stray from God’s original purpose for the institution as a divine way of sustaining creation through procreation amongst other objectives,” she said.

The Director, Citizenship and Business in the Ministry, Stephen Okon, said that the conference was to educate the public and create awareness on the key requirements of the Marriage Act.

“Nigerians, like most Africans, contract Traditional/Customary Marriage first before contracting Church or Statutory marriage or both; yet, many do not bother to contract Statutory Marriage in spite of its growing popularity”.

“The Department of Citizenship and Business in the Ministry of Interior often come across situations where citizens are denied some services or are unable to fully enforce their rights. According to him, this is due to the way their certificates of marriage were documented.”

Source: NAN.

My Life In Danger, Kogi Deputy Governor Cries Out To Police

Editorial staff

August 1, 2019

I want the police, DSS, IGP to know that if anything should happen to me, my family and aides, the governor should be held responsible

The Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba, has said that his life is in danger, alleging that Governor Yahaya Bello is after his life.

The deputy governor, who asked the police to save him from the danger, added that Governor Yahaya Bello had sent gunmen to terminate his life.

Speaking to news men at his residence in Lokoja, the State capital today, August 1, Achuba appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Department of State Services and the army to come to his aid.

He said that from the information at his disposal, the governor had mobilized gunmen to attack him.

“I want the police, DSS, IGP to know that if anything should happen to me, my family and aides, the governor should be held responsible.”

Achuba also wants President Muhammadu Buhari to beam his searchlight on the state.

Governor Yahaya Bello has been at loggerheads with his deputy since the beginning of this year. The conflict reportedly led to the seizure of some of Achuba’s benefits.

Source: Vanguard.

Saudi Arabia Announces August 10 As Arafat Day, 11 As Eid-El-Kabir

Editorial staff

August 1, 2019

The Saudi Arabia has announced that August 10, 2019 will be the Arafat Day while the following day, August 11 will be Eid-el-Kabir, otherwise known as big Sallah.

In a statement today, August 1^st, the Saudi authorites said that the first day of Zul-Hijja, the Islamic month, begins tomorrow, August 2^nd.

Arafat Day falls on the 9th day of Zul-Hijja of the lunar Islamic Calendar. It is the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage and the day after is the first day of the major Islamic holiday of Eid-el-Kabir of Eid-el-Adha. At dawn of this day, Muslim pilgrims will make their way from Mina to a nearby hillside and plain called Mount Arafat and the Plain of Arafah. It was from this site that Prophet Muhammad gave one of his last famous sermons in the final year of his life. Muslims hold that part of the Qur’anic verse announcing that the religion of Islam had been perfected was revealed on this day.

How Presidential Initiative On Audit Blocked Leakage Of N500 Billion – Dr. Dikwa

Editorial staff

August 1, 2019

The Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Dikwa, has recounted how the Presidential Initiative for Continuous Audit (PICA) blocked the leakage of N500billion across Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.

Permanent Secretary, who spoke when members of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) alumni visited him in his office in Abuja, stressed that if the PICA initiative was not in place, the N500 billion saved by the government would have been spent by MDAs.

“If you recall, over the last four years, this administration has put in place a lot of policies on ground and I am part of the financial policies put in place by the Ministry of Finance.

“One of the fundamental achievements was saving the government over N500bn from leakages and wastages under my leadership at PICA.

“If the initiative was not in place, this amount of money we are talking about would have been spent by MDAs.

“It was because of this initiative that was put in place that we were able to save that money from treasury looters.”

According to Dikwa, the primary focus of PICA is to put internal control systems in place to check unnecessary spending of government revenue.

“We have also put in place so many other measures like the Whistle-blowing Policy.

“When we came up with the policy, an average of 11, 000 tips were received on a monthly basis, but now, we hardly receive 20 to 30 tips simply because people have reduced the wrong doing in government.”

Edo Assembly Speaker Goes To Court To Stop Senate From Taking It Over

Editorial staff

July 31, 2019

Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Francis Okiye, has filed a suit, asking an Abuja federal high court to stop the National Assembly from taking over the State House of Assembly’s functions.

In an originating summon and a motion on notice for interlocutory injunction with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/815/2019 filed by the speaker and the state’s assembly, the plaintiffs asked Justice Nkeonye Maha to restrain the National Assembly from going ahead with its plans pending the hearing on the matter.

The suit was instituted against the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, (first defendant) and the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (second defendant).

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state’s seventh assembly was inaugurated in controversial circumstances on June 17, when nine out of 24 members-elect during inauguration elected Okiye as the speaker at 9.00 in the night.

However, besides the House of Representatives that threatened to take over the assembly should Governor Godwin Obaseki fails to issue a fresh proclamation for the assembly’s inauguration recently, the Senate had, on Tuesday, passed a resolution giving the governor a week to issue the proclamation letter or risk the takeover of the state’s legislature.

The matter, which was brought before Justice Maha on July 23, was adjourned until July 31 for hearing since the parties were yet to be served.

However, the lead Counsel to the plaintiffs, Ola Olanipekun (SAN), today, July 31, told the court that after the defendants had been properly served as ordered by the court, the Senate on Tuesday, July 30, still went ahead and passed a resolution for the takeover of the assembly if the governor fails to comply with its resolution.

He explained that the defendants, through their lawyers, had on Tuesday served the plaintiffs a counter affidavit to their motion and written address and also filed a memorandum of conditional appearance.

He said that it is disheartening that despite that the governor had already issued a proclamation which was duly gazetted officially and that the members of the state assembly had duly been inaugurated, principal members elected and the house has since been performing its functions, the federal lawmakers directed Obaseki to issue a fresh proclamation.

The judge adjourned the case to August 7 to enable the complainants respond to the counter affidavit and written address filed by lawyers to the National Assembly.

Presidency Aide, Tijani Yusuf Dies At 63

Editorial staff

July 31, 2019

Special Assistant in the Presidency, Alhaji Tijani Yusuf is dead. Tijani Yusuf, who died today, July 31 after a brief illness in Abuja at the age of 63, was special assistant on special duties to the Permanent Secretary in the State House, Presidential Villa, Jalal Arabi.

A statement by the special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, described the deceased as a very likeable and unassuming gentleman.

“Yusuf was known for his excellent administrative skills, most notably, his pivotal roles during Swearing-in/Oath-taking ceremonies of top appointees of the Federal Government before Nigerian leaders.

“In recognition of his meritorious services, Yusuf was given the national honours of Member of the Order of Niger, (MON 2006), and Officer of the Order of Niger, (OON 2012) after receiving several commendation letters, including one from the Archbishop of Canterbury.”

The decased was deployed to the State House in 1994 from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development and rose to the rank of Director in 2013, and retired in 2016 after decades of serving several Nigerian military and civilian leaders.

Following his mandatory retirement on the basis of age, he was appointed Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary.

Femi Adesina said that late Yusuf will be sorely missed by the Management and Staff of the State House.

After prayers at the Abuja National Mosque, his remains were conveyed for interment in his hometown, Minna, Niger State.

Late Alhaji Yusuf married and had children.

Proscription Of IMN: My Catholic Church May Be Next, Onaiyekan Fears

Editorial staff

July 31, 2019

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onayeikan has expressed fear that the way the federal government proscribed the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), known also as Shiites, shows that his Catholic Church could be next to be proscribed.

Saying that the proscription of the IMN was an error, the senior cleric said:

“the proscription portrays us as a country where government can wake up one day, get a court order from nowhere that particular religious group is proscribed.

“If we allow that to go, it means Catholics and my own religion too can be proscribed any day by any government who manages to get any judge to issue an ex-parte or non-ex-parte order.”

He insisted that Shiites have the right to protest the continued incarceration of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, adding that if he (Onaiyekan) is detained unjustly, it would be difficult to prevent Catholic faithful from protesting against his incarceration.

Source: Daily Trust.

“Bad” Fulani To Be Banished From South West Of Nigeria – Ooni Of Ife

Editorial staff

July 31, 2019

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has said that one of the plans to restore normalcy to the security situation in the Southwest is to fish out Fulani people that have constituted themselves into security risk and banished from the region.

The Ooni, who responded to reporters’ questions shortly after an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, July 31, admitted that not all the Fulani herdsmen are bad.

Ooni said that the call for the Fulanis to leave Southwest was because of the tension they have brought to bear on the region, but that such call is no longer necessary.

“Well, it was because of the tension but this time around, the traditional rulers have arrived at a resolution to ensure that that will not happen. It is the bad ones that should be focused on. We all live in Nigeria: it is the bad ones that have come in from different borders that are poroused. Those are the ones we will focus on to separate the corn from wheat.

“We are saying the bad ones should leave. The bad ones can never stay. Even Mr. President is with us on that. Even the Fulani clan do not want the bad ones to spoil their name. So many people are hiding under Fulanis to do evil now, so the bad ones must go.”

The Ooni, who led other traditional rulers from the Southwest to the meeting with the President said that in the new security arrangement, policemen and officers will be recruited from among people born and living in the various communities in the region.

“Community policing, so that they will recruit policemen and officers from

“We were told about community policing so the policemen will be recruited from the community: those that were born there, brought up there and they won’t be able to move them around. So we can use that strategy to avert a lot of tension going around the south west in particular now. We were able to achieve that milestone.

“Another milestone we achieved is that Mr President will fast track very rapid monitoring of our forests by using the technology of modern standard, the drones. The various security agencies will rally round the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and see how it can be properly deployed.

“Another thing is that they will install CCTV along our highways, the IGP said they are very aggressive about clearing our highways now.

“We believe that with all these there will be reduction in the tension in the Southwest because the Southwest is very sensitive in Nigeria. We don’t pray for crisis or war or uprising because it will snowball into a lot of things. That is why we are all represented from the six states that make up Southwestern Nigeria. We thank God that Mr. President is listening and so far so good, we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Asked if the monitoring of the CCTV was factored into the discussion, the monarch said: “Absolutely. This time around, it is a fruitful interactive session. “It is not the normal let’s talk the talk, we are talking the work and we are going to walk the talk.

“Because, we as traditional rulers we know our people, we know the good, the bad and ugly, and that is why the government is taking it to another level by involving us directly on how to implement their initiatives.

“If they want to start community policing and they give it to politicians, it is not going to work. That is why they are involving us. Because, we know the people that are born within our communities: we know how to recommend them for this kind of employment. We know the good ones that will be willing to serve their communities. So by doing that, we will have crime reduction in our communities, because each community is peculiar.

“So, what government is doing now is a different ball game entirely. It had never been done before. So we should all work, cooperate with the government and see how they will implement them.

“Because, the problem has been that if you take police officers to the north, within six months they will shift them to another place in the south. They are not domiciled there and so any time they get there, they depend on the vigilantes, community heads, the Mogajis, the Baales and all the districts heads, so why can’t you give the jobs to the families of the Mogajis, the Baales, and all the districts heads? “So, it is a different rejigging and I can assure you the government is very serious now.”

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