AND just like that, President Goodluck Jonathan took the wind out of his own sails! With his Independence Day announcement, and subsequent empanelling of a National Conference Advisory Committee, his floundering presidential ship of state seemed set to sail out of troubled waters. I was, and remain, cautiously optimistic about his decision to convene a national conference.
Frankly, at this calamitous point of our life as a nation, I would be delighted by any chance of airing out grievances, real or imaginary, sitting face to face with the “enemy other,” before we all go mad. Thus, I offered a tentative endorsement of the national conference in my last column, “Salvaging Nigeria: Only a Sovereign National Conference Will Suffice!”
For me, the qualifying word “sovereign” is the litmus test of Jonathan’s sincerity, foretells whether or not his national conference will be a transforming event or just another bloody waste of time. Precisely in the same waythat his combative refusal to publicly declare his assets has been a test of his so-called “zero tolerance” war against corruption.Now that he has said he would forward the proceedings of the conference to the National Assembly for ratification, I feel even more confirmed in this view.
More than mode of representation (ethnic or acrossthe varied strata of civil society) or agenda, the question of sovereigntystrikes me as the most important. Lest it be forgotten, especially by the self-serving individuals (with very few exceptions) known as our national legislators, a sovereign conference means no more than that its proceedings be ratified only by referendum.
This would be a straightforward enough proposition in any sane polity, except in ours of the most expensively paid parliamentarians.With a straight face, our legislators insist that sovereignty resides not in the people but in them, the mere agents sent on the errand of executing the people’s will. Their arguments in defence of this outrageous claim are so patently disingenuous a secondary school student would beg to debate them on television.
Since our return to civilian rule (not to be confused with democracy), I have had cause to dismiss the majority of our“honourable” legislators as illiterates.
By which I mean not the inability to read or write but lack of the requisite cultivation of mind to fit the citizen for service to his society and humanity at large.But after the arguments advanced by a gaggle of senators and representatives in support of their contempt for the people, I am beginning to think that perhaps they are functionally illiterate.
For what do they not understand in the clear provision of Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution:“Sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government •••derives all its powers and authority”?Perhaps, that government includes the legislature? In what world does the agent ratify the principal’s act?
Well, then, suppose the nine villages of a clan—let’s call it Umuofia—resolve, after protracted deliberations on the root causes of incessant conflicts among them, to set up a Council of Elders with a representative from each village.
And this council’s duty is to make subsidiary resolutions towards the implementation of their decision on ways ofsettling their differences and ensuring lasting peace. Suppose that four years after, relations among the villages have not only failed to improve but have degenerated. And that, consequently, they decide to rewrite the original resolution.
For which purpose, they constitute another body to draw up better principles of co-existence for the clan. Would President Jonathan and our legislators insist that the new body’s recommendations are to be ratified by the Council of Elders and not by each of the nine villages?
I should hope not.The best one can say for the National Assembly is that it is the “custodian” of the sovereign will of the people. But a custodian is only a caretaker. His powers are subject to, and determined by, the over-riding powers and rights of “the owner” or “beneficiary.”
If Jonathan and our federal legislators do not understand this principle, then they confirm the fears of those who suspect a hidden agenda in the sudden conversion of hitherto sworn enemies of a (sovereign) national conference.After all, in what democracy do public servants hold their masters, the people, in such utter contempt? Oh, I know: one in which politicians have perfected the art of rigging elections and so do not need the electorate.
Still,I remain cautiously optimistic about the conference for the simple reason that it is better to “jaw” than to “war,”particularly at this ominous juncture of our national life. But I have no confidence in Jonathan or the National Assembly.
All my hope is in the people. And to some extent, on the Okurounmu Committee whose members, I pray,will choose to be patriots by taking the side of the people. If the goal is to salvage Nigeria and set her on the path toself-actualisation in a free, fair and genuine federation, then only a sovereign national conference will do. Which means that its final resolutions may only be ratified by referendum and adoptedinto lawwholesaleby the National Assembly.
That is the only way the resultant Constitution can claim to have been made by “We the people.” Anything else would be a travesty.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
ONITSHA—Two persons yesterday died on top of the Niger Bridge, Onitsha in Anambra State following a heavy traffic jam on the bridge.
The victims, a middle-aged man and a little child, allegedly died due to exhaustion arising from the long hours spent in their vehicles while trying to cross the Niger Bridge which passage has for some time now remained a nightmare to both transporters and their passengers.
Vanguard sources, however, said that the deceased whose identities were not immediately known was a minor who was coming back with his mother in a commercial bus from Lagos, while the second victim, was a trader who travelled all the way from the North to Onitsha to sell his goods.
It was learnt that while the small child died instantly on her mother’s lap at the Bridge, the business man died minutes after crossing the bridge to Onitsha from the North. It was alleged that the child had cried for a long time due to heat in the vehicle while waiting to cross the bridge before the mother eventually discovered that her child was no longer breathing.
File: Gridlock on Onitsha Bridge
The bewildered mother was said to have become hysterical as she burst into tears running helter-skelter when she discovered that her child whom she thought fell asleep was actually dead. The trader was also said to have boarded the vehicle from the North and travelled smoothly until the Asaba end of the Bridge where they spent several hours under the scorching heat in an attempt to cross the Niger Bridge. An eye witness account said that the victim and other passengers with him in the vehicle had already crossed the bridge and was offloading his goods from the vehicle when he suddenly slumped and died.
The Federal Government had repeatedly promised in the last 10 years to build a second Niger Bridge to ease traffic congestion on the bridge which is the gateway from the Lagos and other South-west states to the South-east and South-South.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
PORT HARCOURT— COUNCEL to Odi Community of Bayelsa State in its case against the Federal Government over 1999 army invasion of the community, has threatened to press criminal charges against the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, if it fails to pay the N37.6 billion compensation awarded to the community by a court.
The counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe, spoke, yesterday, after Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, described as baseless and dismissed CBN’s application to set aside the judgment ordering payment of the N37.6 billion to Odi.
Justice Akanbi had, on February 19, 2013, convicted the Federal Government for genocide against Odi and awarded N37.6 billion compensation to be paid within 21 days from date of judgment.
Following government’s reluctance to respond to the ruling, the plaintiffs (Odi) on May 3, filed a motion exparte demanding a garnishee order absolute to be made to the CBN to effect the payment of the judgment sum, an application the court granted.
CBN Gov, Sanusi Lamido
The CBN, in response, claimed it was not given ample time to be heard as an affected party and consequently filed an application to the same court asking that the garnishee order be set aside and the matter retried.
In his ruling yesterday, Justice Akanbi insisted that the apex bank was duly represented in the matter on June 17 as its legal representative did not ask for extended date to allow the motion to mature.
Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN, after the ruling, said of his client (Odi), “We are very happy about that ruling. The application was misconceived from the beginning. It is part of the long term ploy of those who invaded Odi to ensure that they do not get justice.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
"When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." – Thomas Jefferson
Does the government fear us? Or do we fear the government? When the people fear the government, tyranny has found victory. The federal government is our servant, not our master, we should not, must not, fear it. We should be mindful of the difference between Government and government officials (People in Government – PIGs, I call them). Of course, a government is made up of people/officials. In moderately decent societies, governments are made up of both the governors and the governed. What I am saying here is that if there are no people to govern, then a government will not exist. At the same time, it is the PIGs that make governments work or not work; that make governments good or bad. So the effectiveness, performance, goodness, reputation of a government is reliant on the type or quality of PIGs in there.
So, is it possible to have thousands of mediocre, greedy, selfish, corrupt, inept, insensitive or ineffective PIGs to the point that they are running our country down, or have been running our country down for decades? No, I refuse to believe this. There must be some elements of goodness in some of our politicians and civil servants who make up the PIGs. And in the society of 150 million too, if we agree that government is all-inclusive. We live, eat and sleep with them; they are not superhuman or gods as we like to see them, or as they like to be perceived, are they?
The sense of insecurity or rather phobia of our rulers is due to the little conscience left in them, that made them feel guilty because inside them is that little voice always telling them they are not doing what is good for their people; that they are not doing what God and Man prescribes to the powerful and privileged to do for the less powerful and privileged.
Yes, they have to feel insecure and beleaguered and if you look closely, that siege mentality is always there, as long as you are guilty of bad-governance. And our people, their people do not help matters with their, sycophancy, toadying and apotheos-ification.
And that brings us to the issue of armoured cars for government officials, and the title of this article, which is coined from the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” an extremely comical and enjoyable film. However, the plot of the film has no bearing at all with our problems in Nigeria.
I just related it to the fact that the issue concerns Nigeria’s aviation industry (Planes) and the recent Associated Airlines crash in Lagos which took the lives of many people (may the souls of the departed rest in peace and may God give the families affected, the fortitude to bear the losses of their departed ones); and the cries (mainly unheard and ignored) to our governments to make rail travel (Trains) a major mode of transportation to cheaply and safely move people, goods and services the length and breadth of Nigeria.
And of course the scandal of (armoured) Automobiles involving the minister for aviation buying two armoured BMW vehicles, for her official use, for a breath-taking and ridiculous (obviously inflated) sum of $1.6 million.
Let me say here that I am sure she is not the only minister who would have bought armoured cars (or something similarly outrageous) for their official, if not personal use. Some of them are probably shaking in their boots now expecting discovery and exposure. Some madness in the recent past (not only armoured cars, but a flagrant exhibition of profligacy and complete disregard for fiscal prudence and public sensitivity) among others is listed below:
· 2013: the Aviation Minister, by her own admission, and corroborated by her own aides, got two BMW bullet proof cars by forcing some agencies in the aviation sector to cough up the money.
· 2013: it was alleged that the Governor of Oyo State bought 33 SUV’s for party leaders in all the 33 local government councils in Oyo state.
· 2012: allegation that the Governor of Osun State, bought two bullet proof Hummer Jeeps at N120m
· In 2011: the allegation that the Lagos State Governor bought three bullet proof jeeps at N600m. He took two for his official use and dashed one to his political mentor.(it is no wonder why the opposition’s silence on the minister’s armoured cars issue is deafening)
· Niger State Governor allegedly bought cars for all traditional rulers in his state some time ago.
· Ekiti State governor allegedly bought between 10 and 17 SUV’s for traditional rulers in the state.
(Feel free to refute any of the above, says Oshine Oyedeji, a friend and brother. And these are only the tip of the iceberg; there are many more such excesses in the federal, states and even local governments they are hiding from the public)
In all sincerity, shouldn’t we be investigating, or at least castigating all these wastes and illegal use of public funds too? What is good for the goose is good for the gander isn’t it?
So what are they armouring for? It is because they are afraid of their own people – the same people who a while ago, they were sitting with and enjoying their company.
For our incumbent minister of aviation, her aides said when she took over in the ministry, “she took bold steps and some of these agreements were reviewed and some were terminated, and these moves disturbed some entrenched interests in the sector, and within this period, she began to receive some imminent threats to her life; therefore, the need for the vehicles…..It should be noted that these vehicles are not personal vehicles and were not procured in the name of the honourable minister; they are utility vehicles and are for the office of the minister, and if she leaves the office, she will not be taking the vehicles along with her.”
Isn’t that nice to know? That she will leave the cars for her successor. Are they ever audited on leaving office? And “imminent threats” from who?
But wait a minute, isn’t this an illegal purchase (with public funds) as with the others listed above? Even the way in which the money was raised to purchase the cars was illegal and coming from supposedly cash-strapped agencies. Did those governors pass the motion to buy cars for monarchs or so-called party leaders through their respective Houses of Assembly? We need to come to terms with the reality that the government has lost the war on corruption. We all know there are lots of excesses going on in government ministries, departments and agencies. They are veritable breeding and festering grounds for massive corruption.
Beyond this, the scandal, now dubbed Oduahgate, to a certain degree explains why our airspace is perilous, unstable, and indeed lethal and fatal; why huge sums of money poured into the sector have been largely ineffective in revitalizing the sector and why those running our air transportation system are preoccupied with their own wellbeing and pockets.
The calls for the sacking of this patently inept minister are certainly not misplaced, no matter how hard her sycophantic supporters try to make out, and the Federal Government must resolve to cleanse the aviation sector, initiate widespread reforms and weed out the servile and inveterately corrupt bureaucrats that have prevented it from performing and delivering. Most importantly, we have to deal with the endemic corruption and the monumental waste of scarce public resources epitomized by this distended, mediocre and over-pampered public agency.
The scandal couldn’t have come at a worse time; what with university students sitting at home idle and depressed for the past four months due to the same profligate government not meeting their teachers’ demands for better conditions in the campuses, but I always wonder why it is only when a disaster like a plane crash happens that now brings to the fore and to the public, the corruption and excess that go on in government departments. Certainly, the minister had been enjoying her armoured cars until the Associated Airlines crash came, and with her insensitive and utterly out-of-place remarks about “inevitability of plane crashes” and “act of God”, her misdemeanour was dug up and exposed. Now they are scouring the corridors of her ministry for the whistle-blower.
Meanwhile, in London they are building more underground railway lines in order to contain the impossible challenge posed by London's careering population increase. But in our dear country Nigeria, which is four and a half times the size of the entire British Isles, and where we do not have even one underground railway station to boast of; yet merry old London, whose city is but one square mile in size and probably has more cars on its road than the entirety of the Nigerian state, is mindful of the dangers of too many cars and not enough roads to accommodate them. With the exception of Lagos and Cross-River States, which have expanded to overhead cable cars, the very real danger of stress-related diseases where traffic crawls to a standstill is being disregarded (if it was ever even thought of) at our peril! More railways lines would reduce stress-related diseases associated with too many cars on too few roads and general mayhem in our driving habits. Rail travel is also cheap and is the safest mode of transportation the world over (Courtesy: Dilibe Onyeama)
The British stand vindicated. When they were ruling us they put in place a developed railways system that served all parts of the Nigerian state – such that long-distance car travel was not necessary (I have written severally on this and brought to attention the rich and exotic history of the Nigerian Railways, especially the Lagos Light Steam Tramway of 1906). Where are they now? What became of our railways? Who and what ruined the Nigeria Railways?
Let our rulers do the right thing….build and repair the roads; upgrade the railways; build and equip hospitals and schools; revive and invigorate our agriculture, they should administer their states with their own children in mind to access the facilities they create, and maybe then Life will not be as hard and death will not be so imminent either.
If a minister or any other public official is seen to be doing the right thing they are supposed to do and being paid to do, all these calls and abuses and insults will hardly be necessary. We will even be sympathetic and understand trying to do a good job in challenging circumstances; but our leaders are not even trying and they take their jobs as if they are at play, and it is their right to play with our lives.
So, should the Honourable (let’s give her that, until proven otherwise) Minister resign? My first inclination will be for her to resign, but that only happens in decent and considerate societies; and ours, let’s faces it, has long ceased to be classified as a decent society. So if she resigns, what about those I mentioned above? What about numerous other public officials, who should not only have resigned, but actually be in jail with the keys thrown into the Atlantic Ocean, but who are still in positions to steal and abuse their powers?
And there are hundreds of political jobbers and opportunists now gathered around like vultures to take her place, and perpetrate the same, if not worse, atrocities.
Shouldn’t the whole Jonathan cabinet resign for one reason or the other? Shouldn’t the ministers in charge of education resign for the prolonged ASUU strike that has kept our youths away from the University for the past 4 months? Shouldn’t the ministers in charge of petroleum not resign and take responsibility for the massive theft of our petroleum? Shouldn’t the power ministers resign for our epileptic electricity and energy problems? Shouldn’t the transport and works ministers resign for the neglect and lack of maintenance of our roads? And those in charge of the armed forces for the security problems in the country and the implication of the Nigerian Navy in illegal oil bunkering? And so many other ministers who are idle and just stealing money and making deals?
Shouldn’t the President himself resign for saying that a little stealing of money from the treasury is NOT corruption?
And therein lays the dilemma for us.
And we have a sad but not surprising note: It is rather worrying, nauseating and pitiful to read that some people, due to sharing the same ethnic background or coming from the same village with the Honourable Minister support her unethical behaviour. It is not unexpected: one of the problems and reasons why we cannot move this country forward – politics of ethnic or religious or personal loyalty! A distinctly and distinctively African malaise, characteristic of multi-ethnic Nigerian and ignorant educated illiterates, whose trademark is sycophancy and political jobbing. These are the people who allow the constant manipulation and corruption by the government, and its corrupt agents and officials; these are the people who always stand in the way of truth, sincerity, accountability and good governance to satisfy their own selfish ends; the foot soldiers of corruption that put barriers against those that are fighting corruption and ready for a change. The same people who see no wrong with the likes of Alamieyeseigha, Ibori, Igbinedion, Dariye, Fayose, etc.
We are inspired by the spirit and we shall continue to relay the message. They ignore their own people at their own peril. A wise person needs but one word to change.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
ABUJA — MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday, vowed that there was no going back on planned demolition of the secretariat of the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led new Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, located on Plot 3206A, Number 4, Oyi River Crescent, off Babangida Way, Maitama, if the faction fails to adhere strictly to land use Act.
Speaking with Vanguard, Director, Development Control, Yahaya Yusuf boasted that the occupiers of the marked building must revert to the original plan of the structure of residential as against the present usage or it will be demolished. He also disclosed that the building forms part of the 202 buildings that have violated Land Use Act.
Yusuf noted that the FCTA might not demolish the structure if the factional PDP stops using it as a party secretariat, adding that converting it to a party secretariat, has violated the Abuja master plan.
Reacting yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of Baraje faction, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze dared the FCTA authorities to demolish the building and face the legal consequences. “Let them go ahead and demolish the building. We can assure them that we are going to rebuild the building with money from the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“We will sue them for willful destruction and they will be made to know that the building belongs to a Nigerian citizen with constitutional rights to own property in any part of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory.”
The nPDP office.
Eze who noted that the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed was on an agenda to destroy President Goodluck Jonathan, stressed that under no circumstances would a cabinet minister embark on such destructive mission.
According to him, “The minister has been mandated by some forces to find a way of destroying President Jonathan and he has happily embarked on that mission.” That is why he is doing something that is not expected of him. He does not have the powers he is arrogating to himself. Bala Mohammed is confused. He is undemocratic. Such a person is not worthy of the position he presently occupies”.
The spokesman who regretted, however, that President Jonathan had failed to understand the true mission of the breakaway faction, said that if he knew, he would not be treating a political party as if it’s a personal estate.
Eze who recalled the case of the Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko who was suspended from the PDP simply because he did not pick the telephone call of the PDP chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, however pointed out that Governor Rotimi Amaechi was suspended from the party for not rescinding a decision by the Rivers Assembly suspending the executive of a local government in the state.
Also yesterday, the FCTA said that it will not be deterred in its planned demolition of an event centre owned by Senator Aisha Alhassan, Taraba North, just as it stressed that the move has no political colouration.
The Senator who owns the A-Park Gardens located close to the OAU Quarters in Maitama District in Abuja, is a loyal member of the new PDP especially against the backdrop of the lingering political quagmire in Taraba State. Senator Al Hassan however explained that she was given the permission to build the event centre, adding that she would drag the FCTA to court. The site, which she named A-Class, is located in Maitama District, Abuja.
In a statement jointly signed by the Director, Parks and Recreation, TPL Rolands Ologun and Director, Development Control, TPL Yahaya Yusuf, the FCDA said, “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to clarify that the A-Class was tolerated on the proposed Transit Way based on a signed undertaking by the operator that she would personally remove all her structures to give way for the vital Transit Way to be constructed in the overall public interest and in line with the provisions of Abuja Master Plan. This explains why she was only given a temporary permit to operate a garden there with a clear indication that the removal can be at any time with short notice without any compensation.
“Furthermore, it has been noticed with dismay that the A-Class site has been extended beyond the scope of the temporary permit through the illegal construction of full blown recreational facilities, event centre, restaurants and place of worship etc on the proposed Transit Way corridor. The act has spurred others to join in the unlawful act by setting up similar businesses on other segments of the Transit Corridor. The unlawful attitude of the operator and those of others have made it imperative for the FCT Administration, as a responsible agency, to revoke all temporary allocations on the Transit Way to clear the way for the project.
“At this point, the point should be stressed that the A-Class is not the only recreation centre on the Transit Way that was served quit notice. For instance, Leisure Park, which is directly opposite A-Class, among other non-conforming land uses, was also served the same quit notice. For the avoidance of doubt, it will be recalled that at the end of the last monthly FCTA Operational Briefing, the Hon. Minister had reiterated the determination of the Administration to enforce the provisions of the Abuja Master Plan as an ongoing process by disclosing that a total of 202 cases of land use violation had been sealed across the Federal Capital City. This shows that the quit notice is not targeted at any person or group of persons. Rather, it is part of our routine administrative processes aimed at ensuring strict compliance with the provisions of the Abuja Master Plan.
“We wish to state that there is no political motive whatsoever behind the Quit Notice. The action as stated is informed by time honoured rules and regulations guiding development of structures in the Federal Capital City and such rules are not targeted at individuals or group of persons. Nobody should therefore read political or any other parochial meanings to this administrative measure which is intended to uphold overriding public interest.
“The FCT Administration will not be deterred by unwarranted insinuations and propaganda in its determination to bequeath to Nigerians and posterity a befitting Federal Capital City.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
ABUJA—DEPUTY Senate President and Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday, gave insight on why the proposed National Conference cannot be sovereign as being agitated by some people.
Senator Ekweremadu specifically said that convocation of a Sovereign National Conference without legal and constitutional framework would end up throwing the country into anarchy.
Speaking when the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue, Dr Femi Okurounmu, led members of his committee to him on consultation, the Deputy Senate President disclosed that the National Assembly was already working on how the result of the exercise could be used to give Nigeria a new constitution.
According to him, “when we hear people talking about sovereign national conference; there must be a legal framework for it. You don’t wake up when you have a constitutional conference in place and begin to say you want a sovereign national conference to impose the will of some people on everybody without a legal basis for what they are doing. Otherwise, we are calling anarchy.”
Sen. Ekweremadu
He further stated that, “Now that we have looked at the 1999 Constitution from 1999 till now, and we tried to do some amendments, it is therefore possible that based on our experience in the practice and the exercise of the review process, there are changes that are fundamental that must be made to make sure that this country progresses.
“And so, that is where your job comes in. My understanding from what you said is that your committee is to create framework for this exercise, to provide intellectual background to enable those who will have the conversation to do something that is seamless.
“It is not an easy job because it is difficult at this stage to determine the character of representation but that is the business of your committee so. We are not going to worry ourselves about that. We believe that you will deal with that.
“For us at the National Assembly, the most important job in this exercise is to provide the necessary legal framework that will support whatever the outcome of both your own committee and that committee that will come after it.
“We envisaged as I said earlier from works that were done over these years that a day such as this would come. We proposed to our colleagues a possible amendment to section 9 of the Constitution that would provide a legal basis to a possible constitution because today, what we have in our Constitution, the process for amendment, there is no such provision in this constitution that can successfully power a new Constitution.”
Ekweremadu said the country borrowed the example of other countries that have had the kind of experience Nigeria was passing through now such as Zimbabwe, Kenya, Brazil, to bring into the constitution.
He said that when the senate meets with the House for their harmonization, that they would support the initiative, especially now that their work was in progress.
“If that happens, then, most of the views here would have been addressed because if we say we are a country that believes in rule of law, we must do everything in accordance to the law and not the rule of the tongue,” he stated.
He expressed the optimism that the committee and the National Assembly could work together to make the exercise to be fruitful.
Ekweremadu said, “I have no doubt whatsoever that you are eminent citizens of Nigeria, very concerned about the progress of Nigeria and you have shown in the past, your commitment to nation building.
“We in the Senate have no doubt whatsoever that you are going to bring to bear on this particular assignment, your very wide experience and your very well known commitment to issues of Nigeria as one nation.
“So, let me add that we in the National Assembly have been in this business of trying to find some better ways of addressing some of our challenges through some possible amendments, through the business of some constitutional reforms since year 2000.” The Deputy Senate President who said that the proposed amendment to Section 9 of the Constitution as passed by the senate included the referendum noted that there were challenges culminating in 2010 when the constitution was first amended.
He said, “In fact, immediately after the beginning of this particular assembly. We had the National Assembly joint committee on constitution review and for which you are quite aware of. We had number of challenges culminating in 2010 when we successfully amended the constitution for the first time.
“And we have done it two other times after that and we are now in the fourth phase of that constitutional reform exercise. For us, in doing those exercises, we have come to terms with the reality of the necessity for improvement in our country.
“So, we welcome this decision from the federal government to allow Nigerians to discuss and bring about possible changed that would better the life of all of us.
Speaking earlier, Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue, Senator Femi Okoroumu, said the committee’s main job was to consult widely with all Nigerians in respect of the proposed National Confereence particularly with a view to what should be on the agenda of the conference.
He also said that the committee would also look at “what should be the size, duration and how membership of the conference should be chosen and what should be the legal basis of the conference and transmission of it’s outcome to Nigerians.
“We have stopped over in Jos and Akure. We are making 13 stops on the whole. As one of the most powerful bodies, we are here to confer with you,” he explained
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
ABUJA — Opposition governors, yesterday, accused the Federal Government of deliberately manipulating the Federation Account to give the impression that there were inadequate funds to share despite steady oil prices since the beginning of the year.
The governors, who met in Abuja under the Progressive Governors’ Forum, PGF, also condemned the Federal Government for illegal deductions from states’ funds.
Besides, the All Progressive Congress, APC, governors frowned at what they called ‘flagrant disregard by the Federal Government of the Constitution and the Appropriation Act with regards to collection and sharing of government revenue and implementation of budgets.
The governors wondered why the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had been consistently unable to implement budget provisions, which it willingly formulated and passed into law by the National Assembly.
File: APC Governors Lagos last week
In a communiqué, the governors vowed to take appropriate legal actions to compel the Federal Government to respect the constitutional rights of states and comply fully with the Appropriation Act.
“We wish to say that there is no justification for the continuous dwindling revenue collections into the Federation Account given that the price of crude oil, being the main revenue earner, has been relatively stable and above $100 per barrel since the beginning of 2013.
“Forum excoriates the Federal Government’s consistent flagrant disregard for the Constitution and the Appropriation Act as passed by the National Assembly.
“In fact, we wonder why the Jonathan’s administration is unable to implement the budget provisions, which it willingly formulated and which the National Assembly passed into law,” the governors noted.
Turning to the political turf, the governors dismissed the just-concluded Delta Central Senatorial by-election, which was won by the PDP, as a charade and vowed to challenge it in court.
According to them, the outcome of the election rubbishes Jonathan’s avowed pronouncement to promote credible, free and fair elections.
They expressed concern at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s weakness to conduct free and fair elections despite huge funds that had been channelled to the commission by the government.
The governors said they were watching how INEC and other supporting federal agencies would ensure that the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra is free and fair.
They noted, “In the face of the sham in Delta, forum’s confidence in INEC is shaky unless urgent measures are set in motion to ensure that Anambra Governorship election is credible and transparent.
“In same vein, forum calls on INEC to immediately set machinery in motion for the conclusion of the Oguta State Assembly election, as it is inconceivable that INEC cannot successfully conduct election in five polling booths.”
“Finally, the forum urges Nigerians to remain steadfast in the face of desperate socio-economic circumstances and intimidating security challenges as it assures that it will remain committed to take all necessary initiatives to provide life more abundant for all. Forum calls for continuous support from all good people of Nigeria,” the governors stated.
The communiqué was jointly signed by the governors of Ekiti, who hosted the meeting, Imo, Osun, Oyo, Yobe and Borno, who was represented by his deputy.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) yesterday declared President Goodluck Jonathan’s planned National Dialogue as diversionary.
This was disclosed yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party Alhaji Lai Mohammed after the party held an expanded National Executive Committee meeting at its National Secretariat in Abuja.
He further stated that the planned confab should be regarded as an aspect of the on-going constitution amendment process.
The APC spokesman further said the present federal administration lacked the credibility to organise a genuine National Conference.
According to him: “We want to make it abundantly clear that we are not averse to any meaningful and honest dialogue.
However, this government has lost focus. They cannot handle the economy. They cannot handle education and the welfare of our children; the country under this administration is on fire and corruption has developed legs”.
He continued: “So we see this planned National Dialogue as an attempt to run away from the serious issues of governance confronting the nation.”
He said that more than five months ago, the party set up a Committee to articulate its position on the national question.
He continued: “We believe that the planned National Dialogue is diversionary because the President himself said that the outcome of the confab would be subjected to the approval of the National Assembly.
Therefore what is being planned is not a National Conference but an aspect of the Constitutional amendment process.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
ABUJA— President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, queried the Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah over the N225 million armoured cars scandal involving her and some agencies of her ministry.
Jonathan’s query, signed by one of his aides asked the minister to explain her role in the purchase of the vehicles which had generated nationwide controversy.
It was further learnt that the President also asked the minister to explain the circumstances under which the purchase of the cars were made.
President Jonathan will begin a visit to Israel today where he is expected to sign a bilateral air services greement with the country.
Still on the matter, the House of Representatives yesterday summoned Mrs Oduah to appear before it tomorrow in an investigative hearing over her role in the alleged purchase of two bullet proof BMW cars valued at N225 million.
This is pursuant to yesterday’s resolution of the House to begin investigation into the purchase.
A statement from the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha indicated that the investigative public hearing is billed to hold Thursday (tomorrow) at 10:00am.
Others expected to appear before the committee are the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Managing Director, Coscharis Motors; Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service; Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement; Managing Director, First Bank PLC; Federal Ministry of Finance and members of the general public.
Meanwhile, another agency in the aviation ministry, the National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), was also said to have purchased four Toyota Tundra vehicles for Mrs. Stella Oduah. NAMA however denied the report, saying it is false.
According to an online media which published the photographs of the limousines, the Tundras are in addition to four stretch limousines allegedly purchased for the movement of VIPs. The vehicles were said to be parked at the headquarters of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) grounds in Abuja, yesterday.
The purchase and donation of the Tundras to the minister was allegedly made earlier, in June, while the four limousines were received in the third week of June but have not been put to use.
NAMA denies buying
limousines for Oduah
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency {NAMA} has, however, denied the online media reports that the agency purchased eight limousines for the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.
A statement issued yesterday by Mr. Supo Atobatele, General Manager, Public Affairs Department of NAMA said: “The attention of NAMA has been drawn to frivolous, malicious and mischievous reports being bandied by an online news outfit to the effect that the agency bought four limousines along with other brands for the Ministry of Aviation or its leadership.”
According to Atobatele: “We hereby make it categorically clear to the public that this evil story, as being promoted is patently false in its entirety and is calculated to put the agency and the office of the honourable minister into disrepute.”
He continued: “For the avoidance of doubt, the said limousines belong to a concesssionaire who is running a VIP shuttle service for non-scheduled operators. The said vehicles were never on the inventory of NAMA and we would like to declare with all emphasis that we do not run ground services as we are statutorily an air navigation service provider.”
The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation which was mandated to investigate the car scandal was specifically instructed to submit the report of its findings within 168 hours — one week, to the House for further deliberation.
The action of the House followed a motion brought to the floor of the House by Rep Samson Osagie, APC, under matters of National Importance and seconded by Rep Sehu Gusau, APC representing ZamfaraState.
Osagie had argued in the motion that investigations into the purchase of $1.6million bullet-proof BMW cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) for the Minister of Aviation, pursuant to Section 88 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 ( as amended) has become mandatory.
The Edo legislator further explained that “given the poverty and unemployment ravaging our dear nation and its people, it will be absurd, unthinkable and indeed unpatriotic for an agency of government to connive with its political head to incur such an expenditure simply for the comfort and safety of one public officer.”
Osagie said that “over the past four weeks, the nation has been inundated with the news of the purchase of $1.6m BMW bullet-proof cars by the NCAA for the Hon. Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.”
He observed that “the furore generated by the said matter has left tongues wagging on the sincerity and objectivity of this administration’s stand on fight against corruption which was again re-emphasized by Mr. President’s nationwide broadcast on October 1, 2013″.
Continuing, the Minority Whip of the House said that “the RMAFC has elaborate recommendations as to the way public officers including Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are to be catered for in terms of salaries and emoluments, housing and motor vehicles, which recommendations have been passed into law by the National Assembly.”
Issues before House committee
He appealed to members to mandate the House committee on Aviation to investigate the matter and report back to the House within one week with specific reference to the following:
*Whether it is correct that the purchase was made;
*Whether the purchase was authorized by any appropriation law;
*Whether NCAA has been complying with FRA on IGR;
*Whether the Minister is entitled to such vehicle under any law in Nigeria;
*Whether (if the answer to 2 above is in the negative) the EFCC and all anti-corruption agencies are not bound to investigate and prosecute all those involved; and
*Whether ( if 2 above is correct) the President and Commander-in-Chief can continue to retain the services of the Hon. Minister and all those involved in the matter.
At this juncture, the presiding officer, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal cautioned members saying:
“We need to be mindful of the fact that we are investigating a serious matter; we should reserve our comments so that we are not seen to be judgmental in our arguments.”
In his contribution, Rep Kigbu Haruna, representing NasarawaState said: “This is an issue we should talk about until we get it right. The MDAs are involved in lots of extra-budgetary spending and who among them is greater than any Senator or an elected member of this House?
“Soon and very soon, Senators and Reps would be asking for bullet-proof cars when we can’t feed the poor or give quality education to the people of Nigeria.”
Rep Hassan Saleh, representing BenueState asked: “Is this the right way to go!
“Is this the priority of the Ministry of Aviation? Recently, aircraft inspectors were not being paid allowances and what we hear is that bullet-proof cars were bought.”
Rep Emmanuel Jimeh, PDP, Benue, in his contribution said: “This calls for serious introspection in this House on the way public officers are conducting their businesses. I have listened and I am not in any doubt that the amount of money was used for the purchase of the vehicles, the main question therefore is what is the nexus between the purchase of the vehicles for the minister and air safety in this country.
“Recently, an air accident occurred. That is why we must be angry that the people in charge of air safety in the country are busy protecting themselves on the ground. We should stop profligacy in the way that the fund of this country is being managed. This NASS will not sit back and watch the resources of this country being frittered away by a few Nigerians.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
With General Electric now playing a major role in the advancement of Nigeria’s Industrial sector and the overall economy, Crusoe Osagie writes that the United States now appears ready to contend with nations like China and India in reaping the attractive returns in Nigeria’s difficult operating environment
Apart from the major oil companies Mobil and Chevron and all the ancillary businesses these two oil and gas giants have brought to Nigeria, large corporations of United States origin have not been known to pitch their tents in this country.
This is not to say that large US corporations do not do business in Nigeria. Microsoft, Apple, Google, Intel, Coca Cola, Procter and Gamble, among others, all have their bases in Nigeria but only to the extent that it would allow them trade.
Apart from Procter and Gamble, which runs a factory in Ibadan, Oyo State, the others pretty much just set up administrative offices in Lagos and coordinate sales and marketing activities remotely for their companies from there.
But elementary economics teaches us that no nation actually transforms industrially when all it gets from advanced economies are trading outlets. Before technology can be transferred, large corporations from great nations liken the United States of America and Britain must have roots on the ground.
They must set up high-tech manufacturing plants operated in conjunction with local engineers and transfer knowledge. They must have beyond virtual presence in the country; they must risk something, actually.
This understanding is what has made the renewed presence of US technology giant General Electric’s fresh investment in the Nigerian economy quite novel. With the kind of investment now being injected by the company, it is clear that GE and indeed the entire United States, belief in the future and survival of the Nigerian state and its economy.
GE has been in Nigeria for many decades and over the course of these decades, the company has built a very large platform that covers all sectors of GE businesses across the globe – Oil and Gas, Power and Water, Energy Management, Aviation, Healthcare, Transportation, GE Capital and Home & Business Solutions.
GE businesses in Nigeria represent the biggest GE platform on the continent of Africa where about one third of the entire GE Africa business comes out of Nigeria. In the past two years, the company has renewed focus in Nigeria with businesses spanning across major infrastructure sectors.
GE footprint in Nigeria consists of about 400 employees with offices in Lagos and Abuja; it also has service facilities in Port-Harcourt and Onne and currently serves over 100 public and private sector customers and partners in Nigeria.
To demonstrate its commitment to Vision 20:2020 GE in 2012 expanded its landmark country-to-company agreement with the federal government of Nigeria by signing investment MoUs for project development in power, healthcare, and transportation sectors of the economy essentially to expand local capabilities and stimulate a total infrastructure overhaul.
Landmark Achievements
The Calabar Manufacturing Plant is GE’s $1 billion investment in a service and manufacturing facility in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. This is its biggest investment in sub-Saharan Africa till date, and only the second of its kind in the world.
This $1 billion investment is over the next five years and it is aimed at strengthening the firm’s local presence with the new service and manufacturing facility, as well as an additional investment in its service workshops at Port Harcourt and Onne, Rivers State.
The company’s investment plan include a $250 million capital expenditure that will make Nigeria a regional hub for manufacturing, service, and innovation with an improved ability to support a broader range of product lines in power generation as well as oil and gas exploration and production. The company will also spend an additional $800 million over the next 5 years in local sourcing of goods/ services, labour, staff welfare and training.
The planned investment is expected to create 2,300 jobs, 300 of which will be direct employees and the remaining 2,000 indirect jobs created through GE suppliers that will support its expanded operations.
The manufacturing giants also plan to build a training facility on its manufacturing site to ensure on-going employee development. The company will provide one-year to four-year training programmes locally and internationally for repair engineers, welders, fabricators, machinists and special processing.
The company is collaborating with Cross River state educational and community leaders to implement curriculum, instructor development and equipment enhancements that will support the development of top notch vocational school graduates.
Nigerians will make up 90 per cent of the staff and management of the planned manufacturing facility while GE’s local supplier base is expected to increase from 10 to 100 local suppliers and this investment will significantly increase the local content of GE’s operations in Nigeria by increasing local ownership of equipment, in-country project execution expertise and use of local legal, financial and engineering services.
The company has held three supplier fairs in Lagos, Abuja and Calabar where over 80 local engineering companies were assessed. Following this assessment and verification, the first set of 10 companies whose capabilities met GE’s needs for the planned facility were brought on-boarded into the supplier development programme.
The local supplier fairs are also being supplemented with international fairs in Amsterdam, China and Houston to attract tag-along investments by GE’s global network of suppliers in Europe, Asia and the Americas, with the added benefit that these investments will accelerate skills and technology transfer through joint ventures with Nigerian companies.
GE Global Supply Chain Lead, Phil Griffith, noted “this investment will significantly increase the local content of our operations in Nigeria by increasing local ownership of equipment, in-country project execution expertise and use of local legal, financial advisory and engineering services. When this project is completed, our annual spending on these basic services that will be locally sourced is expected to increase to over $60 million.”
GE and Nigeria’s Power Sector
The company signed an MoU with the federal government to help develop an additional 10,000 Megawatts of power over the next ten years, a show of serious commitment. GE will make equity commitment as well as project development expertise to repower existing brown field facilities.
The Papalanto (Phase II) thermal power plant, incorporated into the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, has a current installed capacity of 335 megawatts (MW). The plant’s output is strategic to Nigeria’s national electricity grid, which targets generated output of 10,000 MW within two years and 40,000MW by 2020, as part of the Nigerian government’s drive to boost the country’s power supply.
To achieve these targets, GE Power & Water has supplied four gas turbines to Papalanto, and addressed project management and synchronisation challenges. As a prime mover-supplier on 90 per cent of new power generation sites, GE Power & Water is demonstrating its ability and track record of, harnessing skills and building capacity to address the power generation needs of Nigeria. These capabilities will be essential in strengthening continued partnerships and promoting greater investment in Nigeria.
About 60 per cent of all the installed power generating capacity in Nigeria today is GE technology, so it has a very long history of building the foundations of where the power sector industry is today and in fulfillment of the Power MoU it has partnered local companies namely- Transcorp, Geometric, Honeywell, Oats Global and Ibom through a Joint Development Agreement to bring incremental power to the national grid.
Transportation Sector
Beginning, GE entered into an agreement to support the modernisation and expansion of Nigeria’s locomotive fleet with the supply of twenty five locomotives, which are helping to drive the economy today.
Also, in partnership with the federal government and the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund, the company is now in the process of confirming the feasibility of localising a locomotive assembly in Nigeria to meet the expected explosion in cross-country and cross-border freight shipment as Nigeria’s economy and regional trade continue to grow.
Such an investment will confirm Nigeria as a regional logistic hub and centre-of-excellence for rail transport technology. The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) chose GE as a strategic partner in its renewed commitment to rebuilding its rail assets.
Health Care, Oil and Gas
Another example is in the Healthcare sector where GE has partnered Me Cure Healthcare Limited, in delivering healthcare infrastructure. This year, the company opened a state-of-the-art facility located in Lagos that offers diagnostic services utilising GE equipment. In Nigeria, adhering to the country’s Local Content Law that require welding to be performed exclusively in Nigeria, GE sent welders for training on specialty connectors and pipes.
Last year, a state of the art gas testing tank was built and two new 75 tonne cranes installed at the GE Oil & Gas site in Onne River states. The tank was the first of such testing facilities in the country. This investment meant a 20-strong Nigerian ‘New Generation’ technical team at Onne could start work on the first ever part assembly of high technology subsea mining equipment known as “Christmas trees”.
In recognition of these giant strides, GE Oil and Gas Subsea Systems business achieved a Nigerian Content Equipment Certificate. Valid for 12 months, the certification is only awarded to companies who demonstrate good progress in the development of manufacturing capabilities in Nigeria.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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