Friday, 6 May 2016
mtn 500mb with just 100naira
MY WEEKEND MIGHT HOT GAME
Booking Number:MFJPWD
06/05/2016 14:31:00
Code 1224 Date 07/05/2016 15:00:00
Event West Ham - Swansea
Live/Prematch Normal Selection 1X
Code 1229 Date 08/05/2016 13:30:00
Event Tottenham - Southampton
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Code 1230 Date 08/05/2016 16:00:00
Event Liverpool - Watford
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Code 1673 Date 07/05/2016 12:30:00
Event CSKA Moscow - RFK Terek Grozny
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Code 2159 Date 07/05/2016 20:00:00
Event Lille - Guingamp
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Code 2161 Date 07/05/2016 20:00:00
Event Bordeaux - Lorient
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Code 5174 Date 08/05/2016 19:45:00
Event Hellas Verona - Juventus
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Code 3874 Date 08/05/2016 14:00:00
Event Fiorentina - Palermo
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Code 1335 Date 08/05/2016 13:30:00
Event Anderlecht - Oostende
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Code 1556 Date 07/05/2016 17:00:00
Event Standard Liege - Waasland Beveren
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Code 1358 Date 08/05/2016 14:30:00
Event Freiburg - Heidenheimer
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Code 1362 Date 08/05/2016 14:30:00
Event Bochum - Braunschweig
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Code 1520 Date 08/05/2016 16:00:00
Event Villarreal - Dep. La Coruna
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Code 1521 Date 08/05/2016 16:00:00
Event Getafe - Gijon
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Code 1524 Date 08/05/2016 16:00:00
Event Sevilla - Granada
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Code 1789 Date 07/05/2016 12:30:00
Event Hull City - Rotherham
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Code 1616 Date 07/05/2016 15:00:00
Event Hearts - Ross County
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Stake: ₦ 1,000.00
WEEKEND UNDER 2.5 GOOD GAME
Booking Number:MFHYR3
06/05/2016 14:19:00
Code 1223 Date 07/05/2016 15:00:00
Event Crystal Palace - Stoke City
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Code 1228 Date 07/05/2016 17:30:00
Event Leicester City - Everton
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Code 2159 Date 07/05/2016 20:00:00
Event Lille - Guingamp
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Code 2160 Date 07/05/2016 20:00:00
Event Bastia - Angers
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Code 1893 Date 07/05/2016 20:00:00
Event Nantes - Caen
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Code 3873 Date 07/05/2016 19:45:00
Event Bologna - Milan
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Code 3875 Date 08/05/2016 14:00:00
Event Carpi - Lazio
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Code 1521 Date 08/05/2016 16:00:00
Event Getafe - Gijon
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Code 3175 Date 07/05/2016 17:00:00
Event UE Llagostera - Real Oviedo
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Code 3781 Date 08/05/2016 16:00:00
Event Nacional - CF OS Belenenses
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Stake: ₦ 100.00
Charly Boy volunteers to counsel couples to save ailing marriages
Showbiz maverick and activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy says he has volunteered to be a counselor to couples, especially young celebrities having marital challenges.
He made this known in Abuja on Wednesday.
If you are having challenges in your marriage, and you really want to stay married but need to talk to someone to share your problems with, you can call on me.
“I swear, I am very saddened how the marriage institution is going down the drain these days.
“Young people are no longer responsible or disciplined enough to stick to relationships.
“The average marriage now for young people last four years and this is very sad.
“I fear that in the next five years, marriage as we know it may become old fashioned,” CharlyBoy lamented.
The social activist said he was particularly moved to offer voluntary counseling because of the high rate at which young marriages especially that of celebrities were crashing.
“I was moved by the prevalent marital crisis and breakups among our young celebrities, especially the very recent one between singer Tiwa Savage and her husband, Tee Billz.
“Why should they wash their dirty linens in the public, when they can settle their matters in the bedroom, “he queried.
He said that being married for almost four decades, even as a celebrity positioned him as one of the few experienced married men around who could offer reliable counsel to save ailing marriages.
“Being married to the same person for almost 38 years has thought me that marriage is no ‘moimoi’, neither is it beans and rice.
“Both parties must work at it daily and must give their best every day forever.
“I may be old/new school, but I still believe in family and marriage.
“I believe that every human being is created to have a desire to be married, though some have a desire to be single.’’
According to the “Area fada” as he is popularly called by young people, his decision to volunteer to offer marriage counseling to any willing couple, has been embraced by many people.
“The kind of stories and complaints I have received since I started this counseling within a week are incredible.
“I gave my number out to the public, and I have not rested since then.
“This shows that many marriages are in crisis and need urgent attention to prevent imminent breakup,’’ he noted.
Charly Boy, however, identified tolerance, character and friendship as important ingredients that could sustain marital relationships.
“Marriage, like I keep saying, is how we maturely deal with our incompatibility rather than our compatibility.
“It is not lack of love, but lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.
“Besides, whether or not a young couple stays together often depends on why they got married in the first place.
“You can’t have a healthy marriage with unhealthy habits, for me and my wife, we are committed to managing each other, because the devil we know is better than the angel to come,’’ he said.
NAN reports that in spite of the high divorce rate among celebrities, and even the clergy in recent times, the controversial entertainment maestro had remained married to his American wife, Diane.
Team Nigeria ‘ll better Atlanta ‘96 record – NOC
As preparations gather momentum for the forthcoming Rio Olympics Games in Brazil, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, along with potential sponsors and other stakeholders say they foresee a surprise performance by the Nigerian team at the Games.
“In fact, we foresee Team Nigeria performing better than the team that we took to the Atlanta ’96 Games, because we’ve got the talent and officials to help redefine Nigerian sports, especially as we are not going to the January Nations Cup”, Tony Ubani, the NOC Image Maker quoted the body’s President, Mallam Habu Gumel, as saying.
The NOC leadership, says with Samson Siasia in-charge of the Dream Team 6, they were sure that after a silver medal effort at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 by the Nigerian U23 football team, it was time for Nigeria to recreate its football potentials by winning the gold medal, because it failed to qualify for the last Olympics football event in London.
The working team also tipped top Nigerian athletes like Blessing Okagbare and Tosin Oke to shake the Olympic Games with other eyes on the wrestling team and the male basketball team, the D’Tigers. Gradually, we shall be releasing our desire to make Nigeria the best African team that will take part at the forthcoming Olympics.
We believe we are better than the Kenyans of this world, the Ethiopians and others, it’s time to show our stuff and there can’t be a better time to prove our strength than now”.
Plans are already in the pipeline to involve Corporate Nigeria in the buildup to the Olympic Games, as the Games are now less than 100 days to commencement.
2016 Olympic Day Run for May 25
Nigeria will join the rest of the Olympic family to celebrate the 2016 Olympic Day celebration on May 25, 2016. The event is expected to be celebrated in the 36 states of the federation; including the Federal Capital territory, Abuja.
Chairman of Sports for All Nigeria, Prince Henry Amike who disclosed this in Lagos yesterday said this year’s event promises to be bigger, better and more glamorous, if words coming from their esteem partners are anything to count on.
Directors of sports from the 36 states of the federation including Abuja, have since embraced the programme during the two-day workshop held in Lagos.
Prince Amike called on states that are yet to register for the Olympic day celebration to identify with the programme so as to be captured in the 2016 activities.
He also pleaded with corporate bodies to support the programme through sponsorship while explaining that Aerobic, cultural display, keep fit and jogging exercises will be prominent in this year’s programme.
Secretary of sports for All Nigeria Commission, Augustine Odigie while corroborating the chairman’s speech said some states have since registered for the event and submitted their programme to the central working committee ahead of the May 25th event proper.
In Lagos, the event will start with a two-day educational programme for school children which will involve Arts, Quiz and Debates and would hold on Thursday May 23 and Friday May 24 before the grand finale on Saturday May 25, 2016.
Sevilla down Shakhtar to reach another Europa final
Sevilla remained on course for a third consecutive Europa League title as Kevin Gameiro struck twice to down Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 and progress to a final meeting with Liverpool 5-3 on aggregate on Thursday.
The Andalusians have won the competition four times in the last 10 years and can secure their place in next season’s Champions League with victory over Jurgen Klopp’s men in Basel on May 18.
Already holding the cushion of two away goals from the first leg last week, Gameiro gave Sevilla the perfect start when he fired into the far corner after just nine minutes.
Former Arsenal striker Eduardo briefly gave the Ukrainians hope when he levelled on the night with a calm finish a minute before half-time.
However, Sevilla quickly reasserted their stranglehold on the tie with a fine team goal finished off by Gameiro two minutes into the second-half for his 28th goal of the season.
Brazilian right-back Mariano handed Sevilla a two-goal advantage they never looked like relinquishing when he smashed home a stunning third just before the hour mark from outside the box.
Global Fund uncovers fraud in malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS grants to Nigeria
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, GFATM, an international financing institution that invests the world’s money to save lives, has suspended disbursement of funds for malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, following discovery of large scale fraud by recipient organisations in Nigeria.
The discovery of the fraud, involving millions of dollars, was uncovered after an audit of grants to Nigeria by the Office of the Inspector General, OIG, an arm of the Fund.
A message on Nigeria audit reports by the Executive Director, Global Fund, Mark Dybul, said findings showed that “the audit report on Nigeria covered US$889 million of Global Fund grants, and found systemic weakness in the controls in various government entities.
“The investigation report found fraud and collusion in the amount of US$3.8 million.”
According to Dybul, the audit reviewed multiple grants in the period 2013-2015 and identified significant problems with internal controls at government entities, in particular relating to procurement conducted by the National Agency for Control of AIDS, NACA, and the National Malaria Elimination Program, NMEP.
The audit identified US$20 million as expenditure for which NACA was unable to provide supporting documentation during the audit.
He said: “In addition, the audit identified a lack of documentary evidence related to human resources and payment approval processes, with US$7.65 million identified as unsupported expenditures.
“Following work performed by a third party fiscal agent, US$5.1 million has now been verified, based on a review of supporting documentation that was not available during the audit; US$1.0 million requires further clarification, and US$1.5 million of expenditure that has not yet been reviewed due to timing.
“We expect to be able to provide a final, comprehensive view of these expenditures by 10 May.”
Dybul explained that the investigation examined the work of a sub-recipient, Nigeria’s Department of Health Planning, Research & Statistics, DPRS, where it found evidence of systematic embezzlement, and identified US$3.8 million of irregular spending.
2 Major-Generals to face court-martial over indiscipline
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, has ordered the military trial of two Major Generals of the Nigerian Army for what military sources said were offences contrary to service discipline.
The senior officers are Major General Ibrahim Sani, former Chief of Army Transformation and Innovation Centre and Major General Patrick Falola, former Commandant, 68 Military Hospital, Yaba, Lagos. He was also the Commander, Armed Forces Hospital, Kano.
Inaugurating the Special Military Court Martial at the Mogadishu Cantonment, yesterday, in Abuja, President of the court, Air Vice Marshal James Gbum, who is the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP) at NAF Headquarters, noted that the senior officers would be tried pursuant to a convening order emanating from the office of the Chief of Army Staff, adding that the powers of the court were derived from the Armed Forces Act.
AVM Gbum listed other members of the Special Court Martial as Air Vice Marshal Iya Abdullahi, who is the Chief of Training and Operations at NAF Headquarters; Rear Admiral Peter Agba, a former Chief of Naval Transformation, Surgeon Rear Admiral Edwin Elechukwu and the Judge Advocate, Colonel Saeed Musa.
Navy Captain Chris Anushiem is the Defence Counsel for Major-General Ibrahim Sani, while retired Wing Commander Enokela is the defence counsel for Major General Falola. Lieutenant Colonel Ukpe Ukpe is the prosecution witness for the Nigerian Army.
Speaking shortly after members of the special court were inaugurated, defence counsel, Navy Capt. Anushiem, drew the attention of the President of the court, AVM Gbum, to the fact that his two clients, Major General Sani and himself had not been served with copies of the charge sheet spelling out the offences committed, list of evidence or list of witnesses which could lead to an ambush when General Sani’s case begin.
He then requested the president of the court to direct the prosecution to provide the defence counsel of both accused the convening order, accompanied with the charge sheet, list of witnesses and list of evidence to enable them prepare adequately for their defence.
Air Vice Marshal Gbum, subsequently, directed the prosecution to provide the documents to the defence counsel not later than 24 hours before the arraignment of the senior officers.
The case was adjourned till Monday by 9 am at Mogadishu cantonment.
Vanguard gathered that this is the first time since the advent of democracy in 1999, that senior officers of the ranks of two-star Generals are facing court-martial in the Nigerian Military.
Previously, the military authorities preferred retiring compulsorily such officers, than putting them on trial.
During the tenure of the former Chief of Army staff, Lt. General KTJ Minimah, the highest ranked officer to face military court martials were Brigadiers Generals over issues of indiscipline, loss of command and alleged cowardice associated with Boko Haram terrorism.
NASS hands over 2016 budget to Presidency
FINALLY, the corrected version of the 2016 budget was, yesterday, handed over to the Presidency through the Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters Senate (Senator), Ita Enang.
The final conclusion and onward transmission of the corrected version of the budget, which had suffered delay, was disclosed by the Deputy Chairman of House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Jonathan Gaza, while briefing journalists at the assembly complex.
Though Gaza did not give details on how and when the budget was transmitted to the Presidency, sources close to the Presidency confirmed that it was Senator Ita Enang who collected the budget from the 10-man committee of the National Assembly, headed by the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Yusuf Lasun.
Recall that earlier in the day, it was scheduled that the deputy speaker would hand over the corrected version of the budget in the presence of journalists, but the plan was later cancelled and was submitted quietly.
While fielding questions from journalists on the position of the budget, Gaza said: “It is the same media that has kept the whole country abreast. Don’t forget that we are equally Nigerians and it is our desire for the country to move forward.
“A committee was set up, which was in the papers and was headed by the deputy speaker. Members from the Senate as well as the executive arm looked at the budget and I believe the resolutions have been transmitted or rather the resolutions have been submitted to the President.
“I am quite optimistic and I enjoin all other Nigerians, including yourselves, to be as optimistic as me that in the very near future, this budget will be signed into law.”
On when the budget was submitted and whether it was an amendment that was submitted, the House Deputy spokesman said: “Well, I honestly believe that we have to be quite careful with our choice of words.
“Over time, there have been differences and both arms of government had sat down to look at what those issues are. Most importantly, what we want is to see our country and our economy moving forward.”
No quick fix to Nigeria’s economic woes – Finance Minister
Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, said, yesterday, that there were no quick solutions to the nation’s problems.
This came on a day Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the federal government was set to revive the steel and mining sector and provide intervention fund.
Similarly, Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enalama, said Nigerians should expect industrial revolution to effect a change in the economy.
Adeosun, who spoke on Channels Television programme, Sunrise, in Lagos, was reacting to assertions of former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili, that President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic policies were archaic.
Ezekwesili had, as guest on Platform, a programme organised by The Covenant Christian Centre last Monday, advised the President to review his policies, saying they were not benefitting the masses.
But speaking on the television programme, Adeosun dismissed Ezekwesili’s position, maintaining that the federal government had plans to revitalise the economy, noting, however, that there were no quick solutions to the nation’s current economic woes.
Accusing previous administrations of failing to save when the country had massive revenue from high crude oil prices, the minister said things were currently difficult because the federal government inherited an empty treasury and a high debt profile.
She said: “I disagree with Mrs Ezekwesili…. The present government does not operate a command-and-control economic system as alleged by the former minister.
“What we are now trying to do is reset the economy so that we never end up in this situation again; and how do we do that? We have to have a more diversified economy, a more diversified revenue base.
“If you look at oil, its only 13% of our GDP but it represents 70% of government’s revenue, which means if anything happens to oil, it affects everybody.
“The question we are trying to now resolve is: The remaining 87% of GDP, why is it contributing so little to government’s revenue? If we are able to have those other revenues, which are much more stable, predictable and less volatile, then if the oil price goes down, we’ll be able to maintain some level of stability.
“We have looked at what government has been spending money on; only 10% was spent on capital, while 90% was spent on recurrent items as salaries, travelling, training and so on and those things don’t grow the economy; capital (expenditure) is what grows your economy.
“This budget that is being finalized has a 30% commitment to capital and we have said we want to maintain that commitment.
“There are no quick solutions to the current economic woes. We are going to pump N350 billion into the economy until we see growth. The job will be done painstakingly, and we will come out of it better.”
Speaking at a separate interface with the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN, Adeosun said the N165 billion monthly salaries to federal civil servants was over-bloated and could no longer be sustained by government.
She said the N165 billion being paid to federal civil servants monthly represented 40 per cent of the total spending of government.
The minister said the figure was too high and government was pursuing aggressive measures to detect and prosecute ghost workers and other saboteurs in the system.
“We spend 165 billion every month on salaries and when I came in there was no checking. Now, we have created a unit assigned with the sole responsibility of checking the salaries and catching those behind the over bloated salaries,” she said.
Adeosun said that the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, introduced by the previous administration were faulty and sabotaged by the element benefitting from the salary fraud. She said that many Federal Government establishments including the Police were yet to be captured in the system.
According to her, it is shocking that the Nigerian Railway Corporation which was not fully functioning still had 10,000 workers in its payroll serviced by government.
The minister assured that government would correct the anomalies in the payroll system and weed out all ghost workers in the service.
Adeosun said that the fiscal focus of the administration was to ensure an economic growth that would be me measured on job creation and productive sectors.
“The economy is not measured by how many private jet we have but how many jobs we create
“People must be productive for the economy to grow.
“We have been a consumer economy, but we want to be productive and stop buying everything from abroad.
“We have been borrowing to pay salaries for years and that has to stop because it is not sustainable.
“Last year, we spent N64 billion on travelling and only N90 billion on roads. Travelling does not grow the economy and this must also stop,” she said.
The minister said that the compound GDP of the country had been growing negatively in the last 10 years and the administration was working to correct the trend.
She assured that the administration would be the most discipline government the country has ever had in terms of fiscal accountability and responsibility.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh said government would reposition the agricultural sector to become the mainstay of the economy.
“The ministry will give policy direction and coordination to make farming attractive and for people to practice it as business.
“Government will put policy in place to recover the 22 billion dollars which is floating out of the country’s resources to sustain farms in other countries back to our villages.
“Government will also ensure that bank review the two digits interest rate on loan to farmers and other productive sector.
“The change promised may appear to be slow, but it is actually taking place. In this year, we have harvested million tons of rice,” he said.
The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed said government would complete the clean-up of the Ogoni land in the next one year and ensure the degraded land was revived for productive purposes.
She said the Great Green Wall project of planting trees to control desert encroachment would also be given priority by the administration.
Adeosun also said the Federal Government was targeting increased capital spending in a bid to boost long-term economic growth,.
She disclosed that the government planned to increase its spending on infrastructure to 30 percent of total expenditure, up from 10 percent in 2015.
According to her, the government will be investing N1.8 trillion on transport, roads, housing, power and health, with selective use of private capital through public-private partnership, PPP, programmes.
Adeosun also stated that new procurement and capture rules for federal revenues being adopted, were a key to reducing the ease of corruption, noting that the TSA account had yielded strong results.
Also yesterday, the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the federal government was set to revive steel and mining sector and provide intervention fund.
Fayemi, who disclosed this at a breakfast Business Session meeting with operators organised by Stanbic IBTC Plc in Lagos, said government would not sell Ajaokuta Steel but concession it to private investors.
He said government was committed to create 2000 jobs annually as the sector would help absorb such talent over the coming decade, adding that mining coudld be an important part of the solution sector when the intervention fund kicks off as a way of assisting operators to make the business viable and profitable.
He further disclosed that the Ministry of Steel has begun to revalidate licences issued in the past years that had not been put to use.
He said: “There have been people with mineral title without being utilised, so we will revoke such licences when those people are not serious to doing the business and give to those who are committed to invest in the sector.
“Our government came into office at a time when many people had abandoned the country’s manufacturing, agricultural and mining sectors. We are doing our utmost best to encourage diversification into these sectors which can employ a lot of people.”
Speaking on the need for intervention fund , the Minister said: “We would provide intervention fund in order to develop the sector. Already, I have discussed with the Bankers Committee and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to determine how we can develop the fund.
‘’I have advised banks to set up Steel and Mining Desk and it is our hope that this fund will help the private sector to develop the sector.
“Steel is the world’s most important engineering material and it is crucial to any country’s industrialisation objectives. In Nigeria most steel operations are focused on using imported scrap metal, and hot/cold rolled steel and wire coils to produce finished products such as steel roofing sheets, nails, pipes and reinforced steel bars.
‘’Nigeria imports an estimated $3.3 billion of processed steel and associated derivatives, representing 80% of the $4.2 billion total metal products imported per year (25MT/annum). Despite the country’s relatively robust iron ore reserves, there are only 30 steel rolling mills in the country, with combined installed capacity of 6.5MT/annum; only 18 are operational, producing about 2.8 MT/annum using 100% scrap metal.”
In his presentation at the meeting, Standard Bank’s representative, Mr. Anders Alfredson, said: “It is critical to have a strong local industrial player as lead investor .
‘’Standard Bank, through its local subsidiary-Stanbic IBTC, is open to work with its existing clients in the country. Our partnering with an international mining company or steel producer can bring critical sector expertise as well as additional capital.’’
Meanwhile, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enalama, yesterday said Nigerians should expect industrial revolution to effect a change in the economy.
Enelama, who stated this at the sectoral debates of the House of Representatives, said: “The huge fall in oil prices is an opportunity for us to create something new to develop a diversified export base, a strong base of domestic manufacturing to magnify some of the current diversification efforts.
“Our plan to continue to encourage and foster diversification of the economy is predicated on four pillars, which are to create an enabling environment for industry trade and investment in Nigeria.
‘’We are working to reposition the ministry as a facilitator and enabler of business and investment in the country.
“We want Nigerians and the entire world to regard the ministry as an enabler of investments.
“Also an enabling environment which is progressively easier to do business, policies are predictable and consistent, the government acts as a partner to business not a competitor or adverse regulator and there is increasing micro economic stability.
“Then, we have started collaborating with state governments on measures to improve the industrial climate and operating environment for business.
In the weeks ahead, we will be unveiling some important initiatives on how to address Nigeria’s core performance on various global competitiveness and ways of doing business indices.
.”These core initiatives will focus on removing the many obstacles that stand in the way of business and business innovation in Nigeria.
“In our estimation, the single enabler of doing business in any country and, will be good for Nigeria as well, is a whole array of infrastructure
“By infrastructure, we mean not only the hardware infrastructure like transport networks and reliable power supply but also some infrastructure like transparent regulation, policy consistency, rule of law, a culture of efficient collaboration and synergy among various government agencies.
“The second pillar of diversification strategy is to implement the Nigeria industrial revolution plan. This plan will help us move from the exporter of commodities and raw materials to being an industrial economy.
“Manufacturing contributes only 10 per cent to our GDP, much lower than it does in other emerging market economies. Our industrialization ambition is hinged on Nigeria’s industrial revolution plan which was launched in 2014.
“We are focused on identifying how supportive a select number of sectors in which Nigeria has a comparative advantage. We have seen success in industrialization policies in the cement industry and sugar is trying to replicate such success.
“In automotive, cotton, textile and garment industry, we are continuing to engage players and stakeholders to see how we can better implement industrial policy that creates jobs, provide inclusive growths and share prosperity.
“The third is to champion Nigeria’s micro small and medium enterprises as a means of creating jobs and achieving inclusive growth.
“SMEs are the unsung heroes of our economy, currently contributing over half of our GDP and possessing the potentialities to be more productive, given the right incentives.
“Working through agencies like SMEDAN, Bank of Industry, NEPC, and other agencies, we will be rolling out programmes and initiatives focused on supporting SMEs with financing, infrastructure, technical support and training, as part of the N500billion social investment programme in the 2016 budget
Over two million traders, farmers and artisans will receive micro credit through a fund to be managed by BOI.
“The 4th pillar is to proactively attract one term local and foreign investment. How do we increase the level of domestic and foreign investment and savings in Nigeria, especially for the purpose of closing our massive infrastructure down?
“ This challenging time we find ourselves call for the deployment of innovative financing solutions, targeted at a working capital wherever we can find it. We are going to see positive momentum in this front.’’
Recovering stolen funds has become tedious—BUHARI
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, in Abuja, said the process of recovering stolen funds had become tedious.
The President made the statement while receiving the Executive Secretary of United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime, Yury Fedotov, and stressed that the process had “become tedious” to the consternation of Nigerians.
He urged the UN agency to facilitate faster recovery of the stolen wealth stashed abroad.
We are looking for more cooperation from the EU, United States, other countries and international institutions to recover the nation’s stolen assets, particularly proceeds from the stolen crude oil,” the President said, according to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, his spokesman.
“It is taking very long and Nigerians are becoming impatient,” he added.
Buhari told Fedotov that his government had worked very hard in the past 11 months to reverse the very negative global perception of Nigeria.
He said: “Our genuine efforts to deal with corruption and drugs have earned us international respect and this has encouraged us to do more.
“We know that by fighting the scourge of drugs and corruption and rebuilding trustworthiness, integrity, good business practices and imposing discipline on youths to avoid drugs, we are not doing a favour to the international community; we are doing a favour to ourselves.”
Fedotov told Buhari that UNODC had chosen Nigeria as a pilot country for support and cooperation in the fight against drugs and corruption.
Diezani’s N24b Payout: EFCC grills Anyanwu, Ahamba over N700m cash
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has quizzed two leading politicians in connection with the $115 million cash allegedly disbursed by Fidelity Bank on the instruction of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Competent sources in the commission confirmed from us, last night, that the duo of Senator Chris Anyanwu and a legal luminary, Mike Ahamba, were quizzed for many hours, yesterday, to explain what they did with the N700 million they allegedly received out of the diezani cach
The two PDP leaders were reportedly invited to the Enugu Office of the EFCC on Wednesday and questioned by the operatives on the said fund but granted administrative bail and asked to report back the following day for further investigation.
A top source in the commission said that the two politicians, who were working for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the time, received the N700 million from the Ikenegbu Layout branch of Fidelity Bank, Owerri.
“What we want them to explain to us is simple: Who authorised them to collect the huge sum of money and for what purpose did they receive the money?
“We believe that the money the two politicians received was from the former minister’s cash and meant to compromise the last general election in favour of a particular party. If they have any different position, they should tell us,” the official said.
The EFCC had, last week, arrested the bank chief executive who is now relieved of his post, for not reporting the receipt of the huge cash of $115 million from four oil companies and Diezani, to the commission as required by law.
But the bank has denied the claim, saying that the amount was duly reported to the Nigerian Financial and Intelligence Unit, NFIU.
Diezani is said to have summoned the bank chief to her Abuja home and told him to prepare to receive foreign currency running into billions of Naira from four companies and to convert same to Naira and pay them to designated beneficiaries on her behalf.
A day after the instruction from her, four companies stormed the bank with various amounts of cash in dollars and were promptly received by the former bank CEO.
A breakdown of the funds given by the EFCC shows that Actus Integrated paid in $17,884, Northern Belt Gas Company slotted in $60m, Midwestern Oil and Gas, $9.5m while Laitan Adesanya paid $1.35million. Diezani on her own reportedly handed in $26 million cash.
It was learned that shortly after paying in the cash, Diezani’s son, Ugonna, now wanted by the EFCC in connection with the deal and others, approached the detained MD and furnished him with the list of beneficiaries of the cash as instructed by her mother.
A top official of the commission confirmed from us, last night, that the man had made useful confession to operatives.
The source did not, however, say when the bank official would be charged to court or if he would refund the money to the government.
Fidelity Bank has said it was willing to cooperate fully with the EFCC in the investigation and had assured its teeming customers of adequate protection.
Anyanwu denies role in Diezani’s alleged $115m loot
Meanwhile, Senator Chris Anyanwu has denied ever being part of the sharing of the $115 million allegedly distributed by erstwhile petroleum minister, Mrs. Deiziani Allison-Madueke, challenging anyone with evidence to the contrary to put a bullet to her head.
Senator Anyanwu speaking on telephone said: “I had just joined the PDP and those who rejoined were not seen as the mainstream PDP and they had this thing about me being a journalist and whenever I came, they just shrunk. They just pulled away.
“I was not part of them and I was not assigned to share money and I was not there when they took their money and I did not go where they took their money and I did not get any money and that is the truth. It is nonsense to be associating me with this. I won’t shut up and allow people damage my reputation. Nobody is going to tell me that I ate what I didn’t see or saw what I didn’t see or touched what I didn’t touch. I won’t accept that nonsense.
“I believe that Udenwa and their major players who were in charge of those things had their answers. If anybody claims that he saw me where they were distributing their money and saw me touch their money, let him look me in the eye and say so. If they are able to prove that I was part of the whole thing or touched their money, that I was part of sharing the money or spending their money, put a bullet on my head. It is ridiculous.”
How Kingmakers, Governor clashed over emergence of 10th Alake — Bankole
Though, the incident occurred in 2005 few days after the late Alake of Egbaland, Oba Oyebade Lipede joined his ancestors, the memory remains fresh in the minds of many people in Ogun State. Revelations about how the remains of late Oba Oyebade Lipede disappeared few hours after the monarch passed on was made by Chief Alani Bankole, father of former speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, at the launch of his book titled “Alake of Egbaland: The Succession Dynamics”.
The launch attracted prominent people such as former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba; incumbent Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; ex-Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; former Minister of Mines & Steel, Chief Sharafa Tunji Ishola, among others .
In his confession-like narrative, Bankole who is Seriki Jagunmolu of Egbaland and Oluwo of Iporo Sodeke /Iporo Ake, said he witnessed one of the most heart-breaking violations of long-held conventions during the performance of traditional rites of passage for late Oba Mofolorunsho Oyebade Lipede, the ninth Alake of Egbaland when the location of the remains of the late Oba got enmeshed in controversy.
“In the days of old, nobody would dare make such move,” Bankole said. Late Oba Lipede ascended the throne in 1972 following the transition of Oba Adesina Samuel Gbadebo on October 26,1972. He died February 3rd, 2005, after spending 33 years on the throne, aged 90 years. His death occured a few weeks after he celebrated his 90th birthday.
Missing corpse
While revealing how the corpse of late Oba Lipede got missing shortly before the burial rites could begin, Bankole in his book said the transition of Oba Oyebade Lipede did not go on without some drama. Indeed, there was a mild drama between the kingmakers and the family of the late monarch, particularly the youngest Olori who was alleged to have taken the remains of the Oba away to the Kabiyesi’s private residence in the Government Reservation Area, GRA, in Ibara, Abeokuta.
“Traditionally, as soon as an Oba joins his ancestors, his family ceases to have control. So, the Olori (wife or wives) or family, do not have the authority to go near his remains, let alone take it away. The impasse was resolved when the kingmakers found the oba’s remains in one of the rooms in the palace, but that was not without a thorough search .
“If such thing occured, I would not blame the Olori or whoever was involved in such abomination because as it is popularly said, if you give a hoe to a mad person, he will till the soil to his side. I think that, we, the kingmakers should take full responsibility for all the drama that happened.
“I make this statement on the grounds that we should have been more proactive in our responsibilities. Ideally, the moment we begin to sense that the health of an Alake is deteriorating, all the occupants of the palace are supposed to be sent packing and the palace taken over by the ‘Omo-Iya-Marun.’
“Perhaps, I should state here that the palace does not belong to the Alake because it is actually owned by the entire sons and daughters of Egbaland and kept under the care of the “Omo-Iya-Marun.
“Aside the fact that we did not act according to the dictates of our culture and tradition, most of us arrived the palace late. So, we provided the ground for those traditionally ignorant individuals to violate the tradition or mildly put, make attempts to do the unexpected. In the process of searching for the remains of the oba, we were shuttling between the palace and the Government House for consultation because the Alake is not an ordinary Oba,” Bankole disclosed.
Intrigues
However, while revealing the intrigues that greeted the selection of the new Alake, Oba Gbadebo, the kingmaker claimed that the former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel had wanted another person as Alake. Bankole said Daniel wanted the younger brother of the incumbent, Adeleke Gbadebo, instead of his brother, Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo. He said that the former governor had tried every possible means to impose his choice and install his candidate as the monarch.
According to him, “Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo became Alake not through my effort alone. During the struggle, one of the contestants came to my house and told me that I was the only one blocking him and that everyone had agreed except Sarafa Ishola and the deputy governor.
“On the eve of the election, I got an anonymous telephone call who told me that the governor and the then commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs have decided to either scuttle what we wanted to do or make sure somebody else was chosen.
“I reported to Sarafa Ishola who called the then commissioner, the commissioner confirmed to him that they were taking some steps to install another person, but, I told them none of them was from Egba and that they should leave the Egba sons to handle their affairs.
“On the first day we wanted to do the election, the then governor was outside the country; Ishola ran to us in the palace around 12 midnight and that they have come to plead with us that the governor wasn’t around and wouldn’t want us to be on a collision course with the government, and we eventually listened to him.
“The truth was that the governor wanted somebody else and he didn’t hide it. After the election, the governor phoned me around 12 midnight accusing me of announcing the result of the election; and I told him I only announced the result of the election and not the choice of Alake and that he has the audacity to disagree or allow it.”
He went ahead to write it in one of his books that the present Alake was not as popular as Adeleke, but most of you here are witnesses to what happened when the new Alake was announced and I have never seen such a tremendous support for Alake.
“He also revealed how he scuttled the plan by the then administration to announce the Alake-elect within seven days as against the provision of law which stipulated 14 days within which petitions are entertained.
According to him, the decision of the then administration was to create a lacuna and good ground for other interested parties to fault the selection of the Alake-elect. It would be recalled that Oba Gbadebo has continued to accuse the former governor of plans to remove him from the position”, he said.
In his remarks, the Alake acknowledged the role Chief Bankole played during the interregnum, saying, he was the only kingmaker that refused to collect a dime from him when he was seeking the throne . According to Alake, “more importantly when you are going to be an Alake, you give free
traditional gifts to all other chiefs, it is to be free, you are not compelled the same way you were given when you were being elected or before the election of all kingmakers the only one that declined anything from me throughout the six months, It was exactly six months after the death of Oba Lipede, that election was 3rd of August, Oba
Lipede died on 3rd of February, so for the six months,Chief Alani Bankole told everybody else I have collected my own , so go and take your own but, he never took any penny from me. For that singular reason today, I should show my love to him.”
Utomi, others make case for national devt goals
PROFESSOR Pat Utomi has called for an organised drive towards achieving the nation’s development goals.
Utomi, who spoke in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Repositioning Universities as Drivers of National Industrial Development, at an event to mark the retirement of Professor Anthony Arinze from active service at the University of Port Harcourt, said it was time the nation constructed a system to move from the point of misery and underdevelopment.
He said that the nation should evolve a clear national strategic plan with appreciable focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
According to him, weak institutions were largely responsible for failures in Africa, noting that sound leadership has the capacity to change the country and the African continent.
Utomi who made reference to Singapore, said its development history could also be applied to achieve similar feat in Nigeria.
He said it was sad that a nation that was producing 5,000 megawatts of electricity under the tenure of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon in the 70s, has suddenly dropped to below 2,000 megawatts about four decades after, noting that the foregoing was a reflection of the inconsistencies in Nigeria’s growth plan.
Retiring Professor Arinze in a chat later with newsman enjoined government to effectively fund university education in the country, saying that a situation where science practical’s are taught without the needed tools was unacceptable.
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