New price regime aimed at repositioning economy -Ngige

Labour and Employment Minister, Chris Ngige, has said that the new petrol price modulation was necessitated by the need to reposition the economy as a productive one that can foster national prosperity.

The minister therefore appealed for the understanding of Nigerians and organised labour, saying the increase in pump price of petrol is a necessary phase the nation must pass through for the restoration of better days.

Ngige on a working visit to the South East regional office of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NISTF) said that Nigeria is currently passing through painful structural reforms necessary for the socio-economic rebirth of the nation.

He said:”The federal government is not unaware of the hard times Nigerians are passing through at the moment as a result of the re-structuring of the economy. The president is genuinely concerned and personally feels the pains too. But this is a necessary phase we must all endure for the restoration of better days.”

Ngige said for the NSITF to fulfill its constitutional role of uplifting the welfare of Nigerian workers, it must be alive to its responsibilities and expressed concern over the obscure location, poor working environment and lack of necessary working tools at the Enugu zonal office.

He directed the Acting Director General of NSITF, Ismail Agaka, to take immediate action to relocate the regional office while requesting the immediate installation of a diesel generating set for the office.

He said:”Nobody, no company will be willing to come to this obscure and over-crowded office to register and pay social insurance bills for its workers. You need to first of all show seriousness by repositioning your office so as to engender trust and respect.

“You need to also advertise your services, create awareness so as to let job providers, as well as workers, understand the role of the Fund and the immense benefits of its services.”

Dr. Ngige also directed the opening of a new branch office at Nnewi in view of the large cluster of industries, companies and businesses employing hundreds of thousands of Nigerians and frowned at the paucity of returns from the zone.

In his remarks, the Acting Director General of NSITF, Ismail Agaka expressed concern about the deficit financing of the Fund, pointing out that management was committed to meeting up with the directives of the Minister for the clearance of the arrears of salaries and allowances owed workers.

He solicited improved productivity from the staff members pledging that his administration was geared towards the strengthening of the Fund and his readiness to intensify its campaign for enlistment of companies as well as enforcement of compliance.

Ambode orders immediate repair work on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway

LAGOS State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday expressed dissatisfaction at the deplorable state of some sections of Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, saying the road was too strategic to the economy of the State and therefore cannot be ignored.

Governor Ambode, who made an unscheduled inspection tour of the road while returning from the grand opening of a 70, 000 capacity Motorbikes Assembly Plant in Mile 2, directed the State’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and other relevant government agencies, to immediately move to site and fix the bad portions of the road.

The Governor specifically inspected the bad portions of the road between Berlett and Ilasa, and Cele Bus stops, inward Oshodi. He also ordered that an immediate palliative measure must be put in place to alleviate the sufferings of motorists who have been complaining about the deplorable state of the road.

While addressing the crowd that trooped out to welcome him, Governor Ambode said the bad state of the road was of serious concern to him, and that an immediate solution was coming soon.

He said: “The state of this road is just not acceptable. We are going to do something about this place immediately. The Oshodi-Apapa Expressway is too strategic to be left like this.

“I have directed officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and other relevant agencies to move to site immediately and see what they can do and also create palliatives in the interim to alleviate the plight of motorists.

“I want to assure the people that I share in the difficulties they are going through using this road and we cannot afford to neglect this road,” he said.

“I have directed officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and other relevant agencies to move to site immediately and see what they can do and also create palliatives in the interim to alleviate the plight of motorists.

“I want to assure the people that I share in the difficulties they are going through using this road and we cannot afford to neglect this road,” he said.

“I have directed officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and other relevant agencies to move to site immediately and see what they can do and also create palliatives in the interim to alleviate the plight of motorists.

“I want to assure the people that I share in the difficulties they are going through using this road and we cannot afford to neglect this road,” he said.

Buhari cannot intimidate me — Adegboruwa

Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has said despite the alleged intimidation of the opposition by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, he would not be intimidated from criticising the actions and policies of the government.

The human rights activist, who had in recent times openly defended several persons being investigated or tried by the EFCC, in a statement on Saturday, stated that he would not, because of Buhari, shy away from fighting for justice and good governance.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had last Monday arrested Adegboruwa for an alleged N61m scam, in which he allegedly conspired with some persons to lease a property in the Lekki area of Lagos State, which was a subject of an Interim Forfeiture Order by a Lagos State High Court.

The lawyer and one Jonathan Udeagbala, with whom he committed the alleged offence on August 13, 2013, were on Thursday charged and arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

The lawyer had been granted bail in the sum of N10m with two sureties in like sum.

“I was released late last night (Friday) following the bail granted to me by Hon. Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court,” Adegboruwa said in a text message to one of our correspondents.

In the statement titled, ‘The Struggle Continues,’ Adegboruwa, said, “I have never been under any illusion that it would be a smooth and jolly ride to attempt to be a voice against oppression and dictatorship, but it didn’t occur to me that it would take any form of some vendetta.

“I’m told to accept the fact that there is a new administration in town, which does not like opposition and criticisms and that anything can be done to silence all voices of dissent, including assassinations and trumped-up charges.

“I was told point blank that if anybody is killed today, nothing will happen and that it is proper for me to always expect that any and all things will be deployed against me if I don’t keep quiet.”

According to Adegboruwa, his response was that he was not fighting Buhari or his administration.

He said, “As known to everyone, many of those working with the President today are my friends, colleagues and some are even my mentors, as it were. But my passion is always justice, transparency and good governance and I cannot because of Buhari shy away from this. So, the struggle continues. I cannot be cowed or intimidated.”

Justice Oguntoyinbo had adjourned till June 13, 2016, for commencement of trial.

Adegboruwa came into the limelight through activism as a Student Union President at the Obafemi Awolowo University in 1992.

Security summit: Fighting terrorism difficult, Buhari admits

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday admitted that the issue of security in Nigeria and in the world has been harrowing.

He lamented that technology had also been contributing to the deteriorating security situation across the globe.

Buhari said this during a joint press conference he addressed with visiting President Francois Hollande of France at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Hollande is in the country for the Second Regional Security Summit held Abuja, having hosted the first edition in Paris.

Buhari said, “Fundamentally, the issue of security has been more harrowing. The international terrorism, now with the help of technology and million of volunteers, respects no borders.

“It is a lot of concern for people of conscience to learn that in Nigeria, we have more than two million Internally Displaced Persons, most of them women and children.”

The President added that after the local government areas initially under the control of insurgents had been retrieved from them, they (insurgents) had been exploiting available technology in terms of using Improvised Explosive Devices on soft targets, including mosques, churches, markets and motor parks.

He also said many of the territories they held captive had been freed while the government’s current major challenge was the rehabilitation of destroyed infrastructure.

“On the IDPs, more than 60 per cent of them are women and children and more than 60 per cent of the children are orphans. This is a pathetic situation and it is a major problem we are going to face in this country,” Buhari said.

The President also attributed the success recorded by his administration in the anti-terrorism fight to the help of the G7 nations, including France.

He said their support came in form of training Nigerian military personnel and the provision of hardware, among others.

While saying Nigeria has been the main battle ground, Buhari noted that his administration was not aware of Boko Haram’s  international colouration until it declared loyalty for ISIS.

Hollande, on his part, admitted that terrorism was feeding on the weaknesses of the global financial system.

He said all hands must be on deck to fight corruption, the dwindling economy as well as tax havens.

These, he said, had impacted on the terrorist groups and their ability to finance arms trafficking as well as terror attacks.

Hollande said, “Are we doing enough? We have achieved major progress already but this is not the end.

“So, we shall continue to fight against all systems that enable all forms of trafficking — human trafficking happening in the Mediterranean, drug trafficking that has been linked with the terror activities and arms trafficking as well.”

The French President expressed delight that good results had been achieved in the fight against Boko Haram since the first regional summit, which his country hosted.

He said efforts were being made to address the issue of the two million refugees and displaced people.

He added that concrete steps must be taken to make sure they return to their homes.

Hollande said he and Buhari had signed a letter of intent that embodied the operations between the two countries and would lead to further agreements in defence matters.

PDP, UPN, others seek probe of Ogun building collapse

The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Unity Party of Nigeria have commiserated with the families of the victims of a building being built by the state government, which collapsed in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Friday.

The parties also called for the probe of the contractors that handled the construction job.

A four-storied ultramodern market being constructed by the state government at the historical Itoku market Abeokuta had collapsed, killing one person and leaving several others injured.

In separate statements made available to our correspondent, the state chapters of PDP and the UPN condemned some of the projects being executed by the government as shoddy.

The PDP, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bolaji Adeniji, accused the government of being culpable.

The statement read in part, “The PDP has always stated that this government is insincere and biting more than it could chew. Most of its projects are poorly conceptualised, unnecessary and self-aggrandising and without any meticulous or rigorous planning.

“The projects are never subjected to competitive bidding and usually awarded to lackeys of the governor who receive ridiculous monies to execute poor jobs.

“Of all the jamboree projects of Governor (Ibikunle) Amosun, only the Ibara-Totoro Road barely passed the integrity test of structural scrutiny. The flyover bridge at Ijebu-Ode is a disaster waiting to happen as many of its joints are already giving way and had been patched several times.”

The state Chairman of the UPN, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Oginni, alleged that the party lost one of its members in the incident.

She said: “I urge the (state) government to please tell the entire citizens of Ogun State what happened, who the contractors are and why they have not acted with due diligence. They must be brought to book.

“It should be noted that our party lost a member from Ward 4, Abeokuta South Local Government in person of Mrs. Naimat Oloponda, in this incident and we commiserate with her family and others affected.”

The state governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2015 election, Mr. Gboyega Isiaka, in a statement, described the incident as avoidable.

He said, “I have heard about some private projects suffering this type of unfortunate fate but with capacity to put in place a control, monitoring mechanism and measures in the custody of civil service professionals; it is rare in government project from tax payers’ money.”

Also, the Chairman, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Ogun State chapter, Mr. Yinka Folarin, while commiserating with the people of the state, said the disaster must be investigated, most especially the contractor handling the project.

“This is an issue that must that must not be swept under the carpet. This is a case that involves lives,” he said.

Meanwhile, survivors of the building collapse were in stable condition when our correspondent visited the state General Hospital, Ijaiye, where they are receiving treatment on Saturday.

The survivors, who are now five, had suffered various degrees of injuries.

One of the victims who had been reported dead after surgical operation by official sources eventually survived.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, also visited the survivors on Saturday to verify their condition.

The commissioner told journalists that contrary to government’s earlier confirmation that two persons lost their lives, it has now been confirmed that only one person died in the incident.

US to return $350m stolen by Nigerian generals

The United States government has reassured the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government that it would return at least $350m of stolen money from Nigeria.

US Secretary of State, John Kerry, made this pledge during the Anti-corruption Summit Plenary at Lancaster House London, United Kingdom.

He said, “This money goes somewhere, folks. When I read that tens of billions of dollars were stolen from President (Muhammadu) Buhari’s country by generals and put into other nations, some of it in our country – and we are now working to restore $350 million back, and there’s more to be restored to the people.

“And every one of those million dollars that comes back to a country is the opportunity to provide a desk and a chair and school and shelter and health care and meet the needs of nations. That is why we organise ourselves in the world around rule of law and in an effort to try to provide for our citizens,”

According to him, criminal activity is a destroyer of nation-states because it contributes to drug trafficking and arms smuggling

EFCC seizes N860m mansion from ex-Air Force chief

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has sealed off a mansion allegedly belonging to a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar (retd).

Our correspondent, who visited the house located on 1853 Deng Xiano Ping Street, off Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro Extension, Abuja, observed stickers bearing the EFCC logo pasted on the gate.

According to the EFCC, the house is worth about N860m.

The EFCC had alleged before an Abuja Federal High Court that, “while being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force, between March and April 2012, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court did the accused (Umar) use the United States dollars equivalent of the sum of N860,000,000 (Eight hundred and sixty million naira) removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for yourself a property lying and situate at plot 1853 Deng Xiano Ping Street, off Mahathir Mohammed street, Asokoro extension Abuja.”

The anti-graft agency had also alleged that Umar removed another N700m from the accounts of the NAF to purchase a property at 14, Vistula Close, off Panama Street, Maitama, Abuja, while N500m was removed from the accounts of the NAF to purchase a property comprising a four-bedroomed duplex at Road 3B, Street 2, Mabushi Ministers Hill, Abuja.

However, our correspondent, who visited the Maitama and Mabushi mansions allegedly belonging to the retired officer, observed that the properties had not been sealed by the anti-graft agency.

Security guards at the Mabushi mansion, however, confirmed to our correspondent that the property belonged to Umar.

The ex-CAF, who was arraigned for an alleged N7bn scam, had denied all the allegations levelled against him.

Meanwhile, our correspondent learnt on Saturday that there was tension within the Nigerian Navy as the EFCC commenced fresh investigations into the three arms of the Armed Forces.

The Federal Ministry of Finance had on Thursday directed the anti-graft agency to investigate the payroll of the military.

The ministry said the investigation followed revelations in the course of the trial of a former Chief of Defence Staff, retired Air Marshal Alex Badeh, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, that N558.2m was diverted monthly from the NAF accounts into private pockets.

The EFCC had since January been investigating only the air force and the Nigerian Army.

However, with the new directive, it means that the Nigerian Navy would be included in the EFCC probe.

A source at the EFCC said, “We were investigating only the army and the air force because they were the ones given funds to fight Boko Haram. Since the battle has only been in the North-East where there is no piracy, the navy was not really involved in the arms deal and we therefore did not focus on them during investigations.

“However, with this new directive, we will go after the navy. We are aware that part of the NIMASA fraud also involved some navy personnel. We will now do a full-scale investigation.”