Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

The unilateral increase in prices of petroleum products by government represents the height of insensitivity and impunity and shall be resisted by the Nigeria Labour Congress and its civil society allies.

With the imposition on the citizenry of criminal and unjustifiable electricity tariff and resultant darkness and other economic challenges brought on by the devaluation of the Naira and spiraling inflation, the least one had expected at this point in time was another policy measure that would further make life more miserable for the ordinary Nigerian.

The latest increase is the most audacious and cruel in the history of product price increase as It represents not only about 80 per cent increase but it is tied to the black market exchange rate.

Further more, the process through which government arrived at this is both illogical and illegal as the board of the PPPRA is not duly constituted. In our previous statements and communiques, we had stressed the need for reconstituting the boards of NNPC and PPPRA and wean both away from the overbearing influence of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources who has assumed the role of a Sole Administrator.

The allusion to the fact that the this increase was arrived at after due consultation with stake holders is not only ridiculous and fallacious, it goes to show that the brief meeting held today during which government was advised to shelve the idea until at least it meets with the appropriate organs of the Congress was in bad faith.

Accordingly, we urge the government to revert the prices to what they were. We would want to put everybody on notice that we shall resist this criminal increase with every means legitimate.

Already an emergency NEC meeting has been scheduled for Friday, May 13, 2016 to decide on the next line of action. Meanwhile, our affiliates, state councils and civil society allies are requested to commence mobilization immediately.

Dr Peter Ozo-Eson
General Secretary

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

President Buhari was a panelist at the opening session of the London Anti-Corruption Summit, this morning at Lancaster House. Read the official statement from the president.

STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY MUHAMMADU BUHARI PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE ANTI-CORRUPTION SUMMIT HELD AT THE LANCASTER HOUSE, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, ON THURSDAY, 12TH MAY, 2016

The Rt. Hon. David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Chief Host of the Summit,

Fellow Heads of State of Government,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

I feel honoured and privileged to be invited to this Summit dedicated solely to combating corruption, a cankerworm in the social and economic fabrics of all countries. May I first commend Prime Minister Cameron for considering it worthy and timely to convene this Summit. I recall how he championed anti-corruption actions at home and in several international fora as well as his initiative to place tax, trade and transparency on the forefront of the G8 agenda a few years ago. As the Co-chair of the United Nations High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, he took the lead to galvanise agreement to place the anti-corruption fight at the heart of the global approach to combating poverty. Today, this accomplishment is embodied in Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Corruption is one of the greatest enemies of our time. It runs completely counter to our values, as it rewards those who do not play by the rules and also creates a system of patronage where the resources are shared out by a small elite, while the majority are trapped in poverty. When it comes to tackling corruption, the international community has unfortunately looked the other way for too long. We need to step up and tackle this evil. This charge sums up why we are gathered here today.

THE ANTI-CORRUPTION STANCE OF THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION

Excellencies,

Tackling corruption has been a defining feature of my public service. Upon assuming office on May 29th last year, I made fighting corruption as one of the three pillars of our Administration’s priority programmes. Indeed, when I came to office, corruption had become endemic and systemic, threatening the very foundation of our national life, security and democracy. As a result, I have demonstrated zero tolerance for corrupt practices by combating corruption head-on. We are determined to bring integrity to governance through leadership by example.

At the global level, Nigeria is committed to forging strategic partnership with willing countries to combat corruption. For too long, Nigeria has been a victim of both internal and international criminal cartels indulging in corrupt practices. This phenomenon is manifested in the plundering and stealing of public funds, which are then stashed away in secret offshore accounts. As a result, Nigeria is calling on this Summit to create an anti-corruption infrastructure and a strategic action plan that will include the monitoring, tracing and facilitating the recovery of stolen funds and assets hidden in secret accounts abroad.

The anti-corruption measures that we would adopt in this Summit should also include mechanisms that will assist countries like our own in combating illegal activities in the oil sector, involving oil theft that has become a serious threat to the national economy and security. It has been estimated that oil bunkering, which is akin to trade in “blood diamonds”, now costs Nigeria about 7 billion U.S. dollars annually. This Summit must, therefore, come up with measures to combat oil theft, which constitutes a credible threat to global energy security. Multinational oil companies and banks, international financial institutions as well as international shipping lines and insurance firms must cooperate fully with oil producing countries, such as Nigeria, in cleaning up our oil sector and freeing it from the clutches of international fraudsters.

UNDERSCORING THE RELEVANCE OF THE SUMMIT

Excellencies,

This Summit, the first of its kind focusing on anti-corruption, should be leveraged upon by world leaders to send a strong signal to the whole world that corporations and individuals can no longer get away with tax fraud, money laundering, transfer pricing and illicit funds transfer to offshore locations or tax havens. The outcome of this Summit should drive a global process to reduce, if not eliminate, corporate and individual corrupt practices. From today, we should hold these perpetrators to account and freeze their ill-gotten assets.

Furthermore, this Summit should adopt a global anti-corruption agenda that will include transparency, accountability, social justice, as well as fair and legitimate business practices and environment.
Excellencies,

Corruption undermines the ability of countries to finance development. I recall in this regard the landmark Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development held in January this year. A prominent feature of this global framework is the recognition that good governance and measures to combat corruption and curb illicit financial flows will be integral to the efforts to attain sustainable development Post-2015.

It is for these reasons that the Nigerian government expressed its determination to address illicit financial flows as they serve as major impediments to progress. I wish to reiterate our call in Addis Ababa that the global community must come up with mechanisms for dismantling safe havens, and facilitate the easy return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin, as mandated in the United Nations Conventions Against Corruption and Transnational Organized Crimes. Let us seize this opportunity to act now.

We must henceforth see the anti-corruption fight, not as an end in itself, but as an instrument in the fight to eliminate poverty and restore the right order of things.

Excellencies,

I recall our proactive roles at the United Nations in the adoption of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September of last year. Goal 16 of the SDGs envisages a world with access to justice and open, accountable institutions as well as recognizes that governance has a development dividend. This provides us a platform to set new milestones for confronting international financial criminality and impunity.

May I plead that we seize the momentum generated by this Summit to design a rules-based architecture to combat corruption in all its forms. The hallmark of this new order must include greater transparency and accountability of all institutions, corporate bodies and individuals. It must also embody stricter enforcement regulations of governing international financial flows and tax havens.

Excellencies,

There is no question that corruption accounts for 10% of the cost of doing business globally. Equally true is that reducing corruption by the same proportion might add 380 billion U.S. dollars yearly to the world economy. These findings are illuminating. But our concerns in Africa go even beyond that

African countries have been accused of endemic corruption, although it is a universal evil. However, African countries have all too often been the victims of international corruption planned and executed from abroad using our own resources. The Report of the High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa, headed by Mr. Thabo Mbeki, former President of South Africa, revealed that Africa loses 50 billion U.S. dollars annually and has lost in excess of 1 trillion U.S. dollars in illicit financial flows over the last 50 years. This amount equals to the total sum of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) received by all African countries during the same period! This finding is as troubling as it is revealing.

We can begin to appreciate the stark reality that every dollar siphoned through dirty deals and corruption to offshore tax havens makes the livelihood and survival of the average African more precarious. We of the African continent, therefore, avail ourselves of this opportunity to call for an end to the plundering of our continent through organised international crime.

RECAPITULATION OF THE COMMITMENTS NIGERIA WANTS LEADERS TO SIGN UP TO AT THE SUMMIT

Excellencies,

To conclude, the new anti-corruption architecture that we seek to build must be ambitious, effective and deliverable. To this end, the commitments Nigeria hopes leaders here present to sign up to should include the following:
a) Tracing, freezing and returning stolen funds to their countries of origin without delay or preconditions. There have been substantial progress, but more remains to be done in this regard;

b) Combating illicit financial flows across international borders, particularly from Africa;

c) Initiating practical and enforceable international actions to tackle oil theft;

d) Introduction of stringent rules and regulations on the registration of beneficial or shell companies and disclosure of their transactions; and

e) A concerted international effort to address the general and pervasive problem of money laundering, which distorts the international financial markets, undermines good governance and serves as a conduit for financing the activities of criminal gangs, including terrorists.

May I finally again commend the British Prime Minister for convening this important Summit and I am hopeful that at its end, it will kick- start real action to combat corruption.

I thank you.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

The Federal Government’s decision to increase petrol pump price from N86 to N145 per liter would negatively impact the commoners, says respondents from oil-rich Delta state.

The respondents spoke in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday in Asaba, following the formal removal of subsidy from sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and subsequent hike of petrol price by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) on Wednesday.

They also lamented that the impact could be severe, more so, that it could be difficult for government to guarantee the N145/L in a deregulated economy where the dealers on petrol would have to source their dollars.

Speaking on the issue, Mr Raymos Guanah, former Delta Commissioner for Lands and Survey, said that the federal government should have done enough sensitization before announcing the increment.

He said that it would be difficult for the Federal Government to guarantee the N145/L when she had asked fuel importers to source forex from secondary market.

“The FG cannot guarantee the N145 per liter as the importers will sell based on how they got their dollars.

“This action will make the demand for dollar go very high, it will lead to an increase in the price of goods and services and may also be a justification for the agitation for increase in salaries.

“It is the common Nigerians that will bear the brunt,” he said.

Also, a Legal Practitioner, Mr Frank Esenwah, said that the implications of the pricing policy were here and it ranges from spiraling cost of living, inflation, workers agitations, strikes for higher wages.

“Further descent of the societal weakness into more poverty, stress induced illness and even deaths.

“Labour layoffs, low productivity are also imminent arising from burdensome wage bills and cost of production,” he said.

He lamented that this was coming at a time most Nigerians were already traumatized from the glaring poor and weak handling of the economy and going comatose.

“We can only hope the imagined benefits of the decision will come up quickly before suicide rates go up,” Esenwah said.

On his part, Mr Jerry Ossai, former Delta Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) said that it may be too early to speculate the outcomes of the pump price increase because government may be providing palliatives.

He said though the immediate outcome of the move would leave the poor worse off.

“Let’s hope some palliative is in the works.

“Besides, we must expect immediate upward spiral of costs especially in the transport sector and this will impact negatively on food and other commodity prices, thus leaving the poor worse off,” Ossai said.

Mr Samuel Mordi, a Journalist said the time was certainly not the best for the masses, adding that the move portends danger for the poor.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

NNPC sources reveal that a benchmark of N145 per litre has now become the recommended pump price, at which any trader, irrespective of the source of foreign exchange used to import cargo is guaranteed adequate profit.

A statement issued by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu confirmed it stating that “We have just finished a meeting of various stakeholders presided over by His Excellency, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and attended by the Leadership of the Senate, House of Representatives, Governors Forum, and Labour Unions (NLC, TUC, NUPENG, and PENGASSAN).

1. The current fuel scarcity and supply difficulties in the country
2. The exorbitant prices being paid by Nigerians for the product. These prices range on the average from N150 to N250 per litre currently.

3. The meeting also noted that the main reason for the current problem is the inability of importers of petroleum products to source foreign exchange at the official rate due to the massive decline of foreign exchange earnings by the federal government. As a result, private marketers have been unable to meet their approximate 50% portion of total national supply of PMS.

Following a detailed presentation by the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, it has now become obvious that the only option and course of action open to the government is to take the following decisions:

“In order to increase and stabilise the supply of the product, any Nigerian entity is now free to import the product, subject to existing quality specifications and other guidelines issued by Regulatory Agencies.

“All Oil Marketers will be allowed to import PMS on the basis of FOREX procured from secondary sources, and accordingly PPPRA template will reflect this in the pricing of the product.

“Pursuant to this, PPPRA has informed me that it will be announcing a new price band effective today.

“We expect this new policy will lead to improved supply and competition, and eventually drive down pump prices, as we have experienced with diesel.

“In addition, this will also lead to increased product availability and encourage investments in refineries and other parts of the downstream sector. It will also prevent diversion of petroleum products and set a stable environment for the downstream sector in Nigeria.

“We share the pains of Nigerians but, as we have constantly said, the inherited difficulties of the past and the challenges of the current times imply that we must take difficult decisions on these sorts of critical national issues.

“Along with this decision, the federal government has in the 2016 budget made unprecedented social protection provisions to cushion the current challenges.

“We believe in the long term, that improved supply and competition will drive down prices.

“The DPR and PPPRA have been mandated to ensure strict regulatory compliance including dealing decisively with anyone involved in hoarding petroleum products.”

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

With the support of eminent political leaders in Oshimili South local government area, led by former Speaker, Right Hon Peter Onwusanya, ebullient youth leader and hotelier, Ogbueshi Dda Okonji, was giving the mantle of leadership as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in the area.

Besides the intrigues that saw the emergence of youthful Ogbueshi Okonji, his mobilization acumen greatly justified his ability to steer the party to victory.

Jubilation rented the air when with 92 votes out of 98 accredited delegates; Mr. Dada Okonji clinched the most coveted Chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oshimili South Local government Area.

The election which was held at the Oshimili South Arcade featured three contestants, which includes Mr. Sunday Obi who had 4 votes, Mr. Dada Okoro who was not present and Mr. Dada Okonji who was declared winner of election with 92 votes.

Addressing the party before the elections, the Returning Officer, Mr. Louis Ndukwe, declared that 100 hundred names were presented as delegates for the elections of which two were absent while one of the contestants, Mr. Dada Okolo, did not give reasons for his absence.

In his speech after the election, Mr. Dada Okonji expressed his gratitude to the party for granting him the mandate to pilot the affairs of the party, adding that he will not let them down. He called on his fellow contestants to work with him in moving the party forward.

Speaking after the election, State Chairman of the Party, Chief Edwin Uzor, while congratulating the winner urged other Local Governments to emulate the peace and maturity that Oshimili South displayed in their elections, adding that the election was transparent, free and fair.

Former Speaker and member representing Oshimili South Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Honorable Peter Onwusanya, said that the full presence of the Local Government party leadership during the election shows a high level of political maturity.

While lauding the party members and executive for their comportment during the elections, Honourable Onwusanya said that the election was free and fair even as he urged members of the party to work with the new executive for the prosperity of the party.

One of the contestants, Mr. Sunday Obi, declared his support for the new executive. He said, ”PDP is a big family and no one can tear it down. I am not going to court and will work with the new executive for the growth of the party because the election was free and fair”.

The Congress was attended by elected and appointed political office holders in Oshimili South local government area including Senator Francis Nwajei, Chief Ejiofor Onyia, Chief (Mrs) Theodora Giwa-Amu, Ogbueshi Dougla Okolotu, Engineer Smart Meka, Dr Mordi Ononye, Dr Nick Azinge, and the outgoing PDP executive members led by the chairman, Evangelist Ebielim Maduemezie, including Hon Emeka Okonji, Mr. Darlington Ijeh, Hon Ambrose Okakwu

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

The Nigerian Senate has recommended death penalty for kidnappers and tasked state governments to enact laws to enable security agencies to prosecute kidnappers and other crime related offences in their jurisdictions.

The Senate’s resolution followed the report of the Senate Committee on Police, chaired by Senator Abu Ibrahim, who ‎informed the lawmakers that N842 million was reportedly demanded as ransom by Kidnappers
During the debate on the report of the committee on Wednesday, the senators adopted a prayer recommending death sentence for abductors in the country.
According to Senator Ibrahim, October 2015 recorded a total of 105 kidnap and sea piracy incidents in 24 states, in which 100 victims were involved, including 26 foreigners.
He said: “The sum of N842,500,000 was reportedly demanded as ransom by kidnappers.
“Some victims’ family/employers purportedly paid a sum total of N28 million.
“Settlement by foreigners is often behind the scene, as families usually go against advice for fear that force‎ may be applied in rescuing the victim and thereby endangering their lives.
“Recent example is the release of five Polish nationals from costal waters of Rivers and Bayelsa few days ago.‎
“In November 2015, a total of 117 incidents were recorded, involving 151 victims spread across 23 states.”
After the presentation by the chairman of the Committee, Senator Adamu Aliero recommended death penalty for kidnappers, while contributing to the report, which was adopted by the Senate.‎
In his contribution to the report, the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio‎, recalled when kidnapping escalated in Nigeria.
According to Akpabio, kidnapping escalated in Nigeria when ex-Governor and now Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige, was kidnapped around 2002.
The Senate also adopted the recommendation of the committee on adequate funding of the security agencies in the country because the practice of envelop budget for security agencies have proved ineffective.
“Efforts should be geared towards creating employment opportunities for our teeming unemployed youths and security agencies should embark on training and retraining of their personnel for effective capacity building,” the Senate said.
The Senate also tasked state governments to enact laws to enable security agencies to prosecute kidnappers and other crime related offences in their jurisdictions.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

The recent Hillary Clinton email leaks have opened a can of worms everywhere including in Africa. Wikileaks released an unclassified U.S. Department of State document emailed to Clinton, dated April 2, 2011. Sidney Blumenthal, the sender of the email confirmed what the world already suspected. Qaddafi was not killed for humanitarian purposes but for the oil and for money. His ideas of an African gold-backed currency were his major undoing.

In April 2011, then President of the World Bank, Robert Bruce Zoellick spoke at a panel discussion about how he hoped the World Bank would have some sort of role in the reconstruction of Libya along with other countries.

“Reconstruction now means (Ivory Coast), it now means Southern Sudan, it means Liberia, it means Sri Lanka, I hope it will mean Libya,” he said.

To the ordinary person, this was the World Bank hoping to come in to help a failing state but to Economist John Perkins, the World Bank was not to be considered as fulfilling its supposed mandate. It was in actual fact a U.S. bank together with its sibling, the IMF. The United States controls about 16% of the World Bank while the second largest member, Japan has a paltry 7%. The United States again has around 17% voting rights in the International Monetary Fund. His point was that these institutions were and still are extensions of the Western foreign policy.

“So, we might ask ourselves: What happens when a “rogue” country threatens to bring the banking system that benefits the corporatocracy to its knees?” he asked later saying the Western empire has a standing army (NATO) to violently protect its position.

Libya was the “rogue” nation but the question is: Just what did Gaddafi have in mind?

According to the IMF, Libya’s Central Bank is 100% state owned and in 2011, it was estimated to have 144 tons of gold in its vaults. Muammar Gaddafi’s plan was to introduce a gold-backed currency which he hoped African and Muslim nations would adopt. He felt it could rival the euro and the dollar, and rightly so too.

Sidney Blumenthal, in his email to Hillary Clinton confirmed, “Qaddafi’s government holds 143 tons of gold, and a similar amount in silver. During late March, 2011 these stocks were moved to SABHA (south west in the direction of the Libyan border with Niger and Chad); taken from the vaults of the Libyan Central Bank in Tripoli.”

He went on to say the gold and silver was valued at $7 billion and was one of the reasons Nicolas Sarkozy embarked on a French attack of Libya.

“Sarkozy’s plans are driven by the following issues:
a. A desire to gain a greater share of Libya oil production,
b. Increase French influence in North Africa,
c. Improve his internal political situation in France,
d. Provide the French military with an opportunity to reassert its position in the world,
e. Address the concern of his advisors over Qaddafi’s long term plans to supplant France as the dominant power in, Francophone Africa,” wrote Blumenthal.

If Qaddafi had succeeded, the United States of America and Europe would have been forced to buy oil and minerals in the gold backed currency thus tipping the scales. This was a horror the West dared not experience. The situation would have been a more lethal re-enactment of Saddam Hussein’s currency wars when he supported the new Euro currency at the expense of the United States Dollar. At this point, the U.S. was highly insecure about the effects of the new currency to its economy. Hussein’s decision to sell oil in the then new currency was a blow to the U.S. worsened by the proclamation that the dollar was the “currency of the enemy”. Currency wars have therefore been a fact of history with the Hussein situation being a peculiar intra-Western conflict that culminated in the Middle East instability promulgated by U.S. interventionist policies. That Qaddafi would be killed for planning to introduce an African currency to the fray is not surprising but that does not make it acceptable.

The leaked Clinton email has far-reaching implications on the fluid state of post-colonial relations with the West. If anything, it is an eye-opener. Where Africa seeks to build an independent economic structure, the West is seen to try and derail those plans so as to retain its primacy in world affairs.

With regard to the creation of a new currency, Ministry of Peace Founder, Dr James Thring said, “It’s one of those things that you have to plan almost in secret, because as soon as you say you’re going to change over from the dollar to something else, you’re going to be targeted.”

And Qaddafi was targeted. He may not have been the most democratic leader in the world but Libyan citizens had arguably the best way of life in Africa. His plan of action (without the human rights violations) should be a blueprint for African development.

*Courtesy: The African Exponent

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

Firebrand former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili has lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari for adopting a ‘Command and Control Economic System’ that failed the nation when he was Nigeria’s Military Head of State in 1984.

Speaking at The Platform, a public engagement forum in Abuja, she warned that the system that did not work in 1984 is not likely to work in today’s global economy.

Ezekwesili, a former Vice President of the World Bank, recalled that inflation was high and thousands of jobs lost during Buhari’s first coming that led to hardship across the land.

Describing Buhari’s economic policies as “archaic and opaque”, Ezekwesili, recalled “During the first coming of this our new President, a command and control economic system was adopted.

“During that era, inflation spiralled. During that era, jobs were lost. During that era, the economic growth level dipped

“That era wasn’t the best of eras in economic progress. What did not work in 1984 cannot possibly be a solution in a global economy that’s much more integrated.

“In over one year, the President is still holding to the premise that command and control is the only way out.

“In a year we have lost the single digits inflation status we maintained in past administrations.

“Companies are suddenly finding themselves unable to produce because they’re unable to access foreign exchange.”

She therefore, advised that the President should “sit down with his administration officials and reconsider the impact his polices have had on the nation’s economy.”

Also speaking, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said that despite the hardship being experienced now, Nigerians should be rest assured of a better tomorrow.

He said, “We believe that though it may not be easy, though the early signs may be confusing and sometimes discouraging, there has never been a better opportunity than now to turn the country in the direction of success.”

“Today we have the best opportunity in decades for profound change. It is an opportunity in a generation. A revolution whose time has come.”

The Platform, is a public engagement forum organized by the Covenant Church led by Pastor Poju Oyemade.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

The commissioner for information, Mr Patrick Ukah made the call in Asaba while speaking with journalists at the Cenotaph,venue of the May Day celebration.

Mr Ukah said Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was committed to paying Delta state workers regularly in addition to creating enabling environment for them to operate.

He congratulated Nigerian workers on the day and charged them to see it as an avenue to rededicate themselves to service in their activities.

The commissioner said the welfare of workers was dear to the present administration in Delta and urged workers to give their best to meet the high demand placed on them by government at all levels.

Mr Ukah said the all round development being championed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the midst of scarce resources was a deliberate effort to bring prosperity to all Deltans.

He lauded the state workforce for the support so far and expressed the hope that the SMART agenda would bring a new dawn to the state.

The information commissioner enjoined workers to see themselves as change agent hence the need to be good ambassadors of the service and the state at large.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

Governor Okowa told multitude of workers in Asaba who came out under the aegis of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that: “I need to remind all of us of the need to come to terms with the reality of our situation, especially of the dwindling federal revenue allocation.”

While stating that the financial realities has called for prudent management of funds, Governor Okowa asserted, “we should appreciate the fact that our obvious falling finances notwithstanding, this administration has done much in the areas of provision of qualitative education, effective healthcare service, urban renewal and roads construction among others; it is my hope and expectation that government will continue to enjoy the goodwill of workers in the steady march towards the achievement of our sustainable development objectives.”

Governor Okowa took time to tackle all the issues raised by the Union leaders and called for understanding in line with the current economic situation of the country.

“It is pertinent to note that most misunderstanding between government and workers stems mainly from breakdown in communication, which can often be resolved through dialogue and in this regard, I commend the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, including their affiliate unions in the State, for the sustained understanding and co-operation”.

The Governor who attended the May Day celebration with his Deputy, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro, members of the National Assembly, state House of Assembly and retinue of top government functionaries lauded the good relationship that exists between the NLC and TUC in the state, noting that such was good for the workers and government.

“The prevailing cordial industrial relations in the State have encouraged government to sustain its welfare and training programmes; let me assure you all of this administration’s policy of investment in the wellbeing and professional growth of workers through training and exposure to modern techniques,” the Governor stated.

Chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade David Ofoeyeno who was represented by first vice chairman of the Union, Comrade Jonathan Jemiereyigbe assured Governor Okowa of the continued support of workers in the state saying, “let me on behalf of the organised labour in the state, express our profound appreciation to you for the giant strides your government has made so far in touching the lives of Deltans through your SMART agenda.”

He described the theme for this year’s celebration, “the working class and the quest for socio-economic revival’ as carefully selected to reflect the present situation of workers of this country find themselves,” while the Chairman of the TUC in the state, Comrade Lawson Efenudu said, ”the administration of Governor Okowa has performed creditably well in service delivery with regard to its SMART agenda of wealth creation and provision of enabling environment for investors through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for the social and economic development of our dear state, most importantly, regular payment of worker’s salaries in the state public service which is a headache to many states in the country.”

The occasion featured march past by affiliate unions to NLC and TUC with Governor Okowa taking the salute.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 
Delta State Government has released an in-depth analysis of how the bail out funds from the federal government for the settlement of arrears of workers’ salaries and emoluments were effectively used.

Although it expressed dismay over claims made by certain newspaper publications on “How States spent Their Bail-out Funds”, the state government insisted that the newspaper reports were based on a stale update.

A comprehensive analysis carried out by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in conjunction with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), however absolved Delta state of any complicity, having complied with the directives of the Federal Government by providing succour for the workers.

The analysis released by the ICPC and signed by its Commissioner for Public Enlightenment, indicated that “Delta State has a total debt value accrued from Staff salaries and emoluments of N36,417,217,601.53. The State was granted N10,936,799,299.36 as bailout fund and disbursed N8,129,888,279.86 with a balance of N2,806,9I1,019.50. However, the state claimed not to owe salaries as at 24th November, 2015.”

A statement signed by the Delta state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah and made available to Blank NEWS Online therefore reads:

“The attention of Delta State Government has been drawn to a news report published on pages three and nine of the Nation Newspaper of Saturday “April 23, 2016 edition titled: “How States spent Their Bail-out Funds”. We thereby wish to state, as follows;

1. The state government received the sum of N10,936,799.36 as bailout funds for salaries on 21/9/2015.

2. Following the monitoring of the utilization of funds by the Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission(ICPC), the state received a letter dated 12/10/2015 with a questionnaire attached requesting for details of funds utilized. In the response to the ICPC dated 15/10/2015, the state declared that the sum of N8,129,888,279.86 was expended with a balance of N2,806,911,019.50.

3. The balance of N2, 806,911,019.50 as at 31/12/2015 has been applied as follows:
(a) N2, 000, 000, 000 to the State Pension Bureau to reduce the state’s liability to pensioners.

(b) The sum of N806,911,019.50 was used for the payment of Primary school teachers’ salaries.

4. It is pertinent to note that since January, 2016, the state has not received any request of update on the position of the disbursement of funds from the ICPC.

5. It is therefore necessary to state that the aforementioned newspaper report was based on a stale update.”

Blank NEWS Online reveals that a breakdown of the ICPC analysis indicates that out of the 27 states that applied for the fund, only 23 had been paid by the Central Bank of Nigeria as at the end of December 2015.

The benefiting states are: Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Ekiti, Katsina, Gombe, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Plateau, Sokoto, Kwara, Bayelsa, Imo, Enugu, Oyo, Delta, Kebbi and Zamfara.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) By Reuben Abati– 

The monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting was held the other day in Abuja, with the representatives of state governments again cap in hand, asking for their share of federal revenue – read: oil revenue, or better still, national cake, or our money. A paragraph in the report by the online newspaper, Premium Times, caught my attention and here it is: “But at the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting, representatives of the 36 state governments went home SAD (emphasis mine), as they were handed parlous shares from a total N299.75 billion statutory allocation for the month, the lowest allocations in more than five years.” For the month of March 2016, the states shared N55.34 billion, compared to N64.52 billion in February 2016. I have deliberately emphasized the word sad, because the day may well come when after the sharing of national revenue, we may be told that some Commissioners of Finance left the meeting crying, or wailing.

To prevent that happening this time, the Federal Government chose to suspend deductions of salary repayment loans owed by the states. When such deductions were made in February 2016, at least one state, Osun, went back home with a paltry N6 million only. The truth is that most of the 36 states are in dire straits, worst hit by the economic crisis that the country faces. About 27 out of the 36 states of the Federation are effectively insolvent, if not bankrupt. In July 2015, the Federal Government not only bailed out the states financially, the Central Bank of Nigeria further extended the repayment period for bank loans taken by the states from a period of seven years to 20 years. So far the affected states have collected salary assistance loans from the CBN to the tune of N689.5 billion, with an additional N310 billion as loans backed by the Excess Crude Account.

Across the country, these states are owing staff salaries, in some cases up to seven months. Pensioners have not been paid their arrears. Civil servants are angry because their allowances are being withheld. Most of the states (24) have not been able to improve on their internally generated revenue. The people are angry, wondering what this change has brought to their doorsteps. In January 2015, former CBN Governor, Charles Soludo, had sounded a cautionary note of warning in a piece titled “Buhari vs. Jonathan: Beyond the Election” wherein he argued that under President Jonathan, economic prosperity (oil boom) rather than generate wealth and opportunities resulted in greater pressures and the handing over of the economy to “self-conflicted traders and businessmen.”

He warned that the future of the Nigerian economy appeared bleak in the event of a slide in the spot price of crude oil. In November 2015, Soludo wrote a post-election piece titled “Can a New Buharinomics save Nigeria?” in which he slightly revised his trenchant attack on the Jonathan administration and argued that President Muhammadu Buhari had in fact inherited strong economic indicators and that in spite of the dwindling oil prices, he had an opportunity to further strengthen the Nigerian economy, given the right choices. The economist called for a debate on the subject, made his own recommendations and asked for the immediate setting up of a WAR ROOM on the economy.

Between January 2015 and March 2016, Soludo has been proven right in many respects; if you discount the politics of his January 2015 piece, that is, and focus on the analytical prescience of his contributions, you would easily agree that whatever may be happening in the economy today is foreseeable, foretold, and perhaps preventable. There is no challenge more urgent in Nigeria today than the economy. The health of the economy is linked to the well-being of the people. A recursive economy brings hardship and perhaps the last time Nigeria found itself in similar circumstances was truly between 1981 and 1985; the mismanagement of that challenge then, rather than improve our situation resulted in an uncontrollable decline, the effect of which has had Octopal implications for the well-being of the entire society. The concern of the concerned intelligentsia is that things should not get worse than they are now.

Because things are not really looking good, right now, President Goodluck Jonathan, for example, has had the great opportunity of engaging in an inevitable chest-beating-if-nobody-praises-me-I-will-praise-myself presentation in Newark, United States a few days ago. What he didn’t spell out is in the sub-text of his commentary. The current indication is that Nigeria’s GDP growth has dropped to below 3% in 2016 from about 7% in 2014. Income levels have similarly dropped. Inflation has jumped from single digit to a frightening double-digit range (12.11%). The manufacturing sector, which was on the rebound as at 2014, is now below 3% of GDP, which is as bad as saying there is no manufacturing going on at all and that the real sector is prostrate. The country’s reserves have been drained. Government deficit is rising. Unemployment has risen, even if one West African country is nonetheless asking Nigeria to come and help it solve its unemployment problem – I hope we will not again go and give what we do not have at home! Fuel queues are back as a feature of national life. Many Nigerians have not had an hour of electricity supply in the last four months. The people are angry and hungry.

In his November 2015 article, Soludo asked for a War Room. In March 2016, the Federal Government organized a Talk Shop in the form of a 2-day retreat of the National Economic Council (NEC) which came up with 71 proposals to revive the economy. 71 proposals! Sadly, there is nothing new in those proposals. Soludo called for a debate and pro-active measures. The administration is obviously not interested in what he has to say. Instead, there has been a lot of blame-this-blame-that going on. My take is that we cannot leave economics to the economists. Economists are fundamentalists; between the market fundamentalists and the state capitalists they only manage to produce problems, and that is perhaps why the idea of a War Room may be the wrong idiom. I also don’t consider the blame game helpful. Whatever is wrong with the Nigerian economy is an open secret that does not require any prolonged movement of the mandibular.

We are, to say the truth, paying the price for the failure of the Nigerian leadership elite to diversify the Nigerian economy and expand the country’s revenue base. We found oil in 1958, and since then we have been as a country, a victim of the curse of oil. The curse of oil in our context has meant indolence, the emergence of a rentier class, a squandering of riches and the alienation of the poor by the rich. Every country afflicted by the curse of oil has found it difficult to escape from the curse. In our case, it is worse. Crude oil accounts for 90% of Nigeria’s exports, 70% of Federal revenue and about 15% of GDP. The point has been made for years that without oil, or with great falls in the spot price of the Brent crude, Nigeria will be in trouble. Every scholar has spoken about the need for diversification, but oil money is so cheap, it does not allow our ruling elite to think. I wrote the foreword two months ago to a book tilted Memories of Yesteryears written by Akpandem James, formerly of the Independent Newspaper and in one of the chapters he reminisces about a long list of plantations across the South Southern part of the country, but those plantations are no longer there, either in the South South or the North or the East or West, because over the years, Nigerians got used to the easy money that comes with oil.

Oil, everyone said, is a wasting asset. But our leaders never listened. Instead, they argue that we have more gas than oil and that if nobody buys our oil, shale oil or no shale oil, Nigeria will sell gas. A country built on a philosophy of wealth without work or sense, commits a grievous sin. We have confronted the curse of oil on so many occasions. It caused the civil war of 1967-70. It resulted in the desperation of the North to seize Federal power and get a bigger share of the national cake by all means. It led to the agitations in the Niger Delta, the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Eight, pipeline vandalism, Niger Delta insurgency, environmental degradation and the potent threat of a resurgent militancy in the Niger Delta, which is bound to cripple the Nigerian economy finally and tragically. The curse of oil is the source of a national cake mentality that has turned public service into an arena for primate accumulation. It is the root of corruption in Nigeria.

It is not a Buhari vs. Jonathan apotheosis therefore. To reduce it to that level is to ignobly avoid the messages of history. If anyone must be blamed, it must be all Nigerian leaders from independence at all levels. They have focused more on the fundamentals of ethnic, religious, regional and personal benefits, more than the fundamentals of national benefit. The leaders at the state levels are no better than gluttonous beggars. Elsewhere, states are centres of productive, economic activities. In Nigeria, every Governor is interested in what comes from the easy monthly allocation from Abuja. For IGR, they tax the people, multiple, punitive taxes. They create the impression that government exists to punish the people. Not every problem is Abuja-sourced. We need Governors who can think creatively economically and turn their states into economic units, not cowboys who spend more time in Abuja doing eye service. Truth is: some Governors are so cheap when they go to the Villa, they even expect to be given transport fare!

There are other issues: enhanced financial transparency will help, fraud has to be checked; there should be greater oversight scrutiny by civil society and the legislature; too many lawmakers are too busy trying to get their own bite of the national cake – can they please keep their rumbling and insatiable stomachs in check? And finally, the cost of governance must be reduced: Lawmakers who proudly ride vehicles worth N36.5 million are bandits not servants of the people. Governors who live ostentatiously and claim that there is not enough money to pay salaries are wrong. President Buhari is fighting corruption: he should allow states being run corruptly to sink if they must.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

Our attention has been drawn to a mischievous publication by Sahara Reporters to the effect that the Honourable Commissioner for Information in Delta State, Mr. Patrick Ukah, threatened to resign his appointment because of what it claimed was the Commissioner’s grouse with, “Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s decision to split the ministry.”

Much as we do not usually dignify this type of obvious yellow journalism with a response, we would like to make the following clarifications in order to disabuse the minds of the unsuspecting reading public and the friends and associates of the Commissioner who have besieged his office with calls since the report was published.

The entire report is baseless, unfounded and tendentious. The story exists only in the figment of the imagination of Sahara Reporters, a medium very well known for its brand of terrorism journalism which it dubs as “citizens journalism”, whatever that means.

In the first place, the Ministry of Information has not been split into two, and as such no new ministry has been created. The Governor just recently approved the creation of a Directorate of Orientation out of the Department of Orientation in the Ministry to be headed by his Senior Special Assistant, Orientation and Social Mobilisation now renamed Executive Assistant.

Secondly, the moving of the ICT Department and Website to the Government House had occurred before Mr. Ukah was appointed Commissioner in charge of the ministry. And we all know the proximity and interdependency of the website and the ICT Department. That the two are housed in the same place was to ensure efficiency in their operations and engender better coordination.

In the light of the foregoing, Mr. Ukah could not have contemplated, let alone threaten, resignation. It is, therefore, clear that the report by Sahara Reporters is calculated to cause mischief and disaffection in the government of Delta State.

Mr. Ukah, for the avoidance of doubt, enjoys a good working relationship with His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and is irrevocably committed to helping the Governor achieve his goal of prosperity for all Deltans.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka<img src="https://blanknewsonline.files.wordpress.

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

Fireworks lit up the night sky in Brazil’s megacities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro after the opposition comfortably surpassed the two-thirds majority needed to send Rousseff for trial in the Senate on charges of manipulating budget accounts.

The floor of the lower house was a sea of Brazilian flags and pumping fists as dozens of lawmakers carried in their arms the deputy who cast the decisive 342nd vote, after three days of a marathon debate.

The final tally was 367 votes cast in favor of impeachment, versus 137 against, and seven abstentions. Two lawmakers did not show up to vote.

Brazilian financial markets opened higher after the vote – which was a major step toward ending 13 years of the left-leaning Workers’ Party rule in the world’s ninth largest economy.

The central bank intervened against a sharp rise in the currency, offering up to $4 billion in derivatives at an auction. The real traded 3.53 per dollar, while yields on rate futures fell and equity futures rose.

If, as is expected, the Senate votes by a simple majority in early May to proceed with the impeachment, Rousseff would be suspended from her post and replaced by Vice President Michel Temer as acting president, pending her trial. Temer would serve out Rousseff’s term until 2018 if she is found guilty.

Brazil is facing its worst recession since the 1930s and Rousseff’s government has been tainted by a vast graft scandal at state oil company.

The impeachment battle, waged during Brazil’s worst recession since the 1930s, has divided the country of 200 million people more deeply than at any time since the end of its military dictatorship in 1985.

It has also sparked a bitter battle between the 68-year-old Rousseff and Temer, 75, that could destabilize any future government and plunge Brazil into months of uncertainty.

Despite anger at rising unemployment, Rousseff’s Workers Party can still rely on support among millions of working-class Brazilians, who credit its welfare programs with pulling their families out of poverty during the past decade.

“The fight is going to continue now in the streets and in the federal Senate,” said Jose Guimaraes, the leader of the Workers’ Party in the lower house. “We lost because the coup-mongers were stronger.”

Opinion polls suggest more than 60 percent of Brazilians support impeaching Rousseff, Brazil’s first female president, less than two years after she won reelection in 2014.

While she has not been accused of corruption, Rousseff’s government has been tainted by a vast graft scandal at state oil company Petrobras and by the economic recession.

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators from both sides took to the streets of towns and cities across Brazil on Sunday, in peaceful protests. Millions watched the congressional vote live on television in bars and restaurants, in their homes or on giant screens in the street, as the soccer-mad nation does for major football matches.

On the grassy esplanade outside Congress, a 6-foot-high (2-meter) security barrier ran for more than half a mile (1 km) to separate rival demonstrations, a symbol of the political rift that has emerged in one of the world’s most unequal societies.

The country is preparing to host the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August and is also battling an epidemic of the Zika virus.

PARALYZED GOVERNMENT

The impeachment battle has paralyzed government in Brasilia, at a time when the country is preparing to host the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August and is also battling an epidemic of the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects in newborns.

Critics of the impeachment process say it has become a referendum on Rousseff’s popularity – currently languishing in single digits – and sets a worrying precedent for ousting unpopular leaders in Congress in the future.

They note that Rousseff – who would be the first Brazilian president impeached for more than three decades – is accused of a budgetary sleight of hand commonly employed by many elected officials in Brazil.

Legislators denounced corruption and the economic downturn as they voted against Rousseff. One fired a popper of confetti into the air. But few of them mentioned the budgetary allegations.

However, business lobbies have thrown their weight behind the ouster of Rousseff, as they look to Temer to restore business confidence and growth to the $2 trillion economy.

Adriano Pires, head of the Rio de Janeiro-based Brazilian Infrastructure Institute, said Rousseff’s departure could lead to an opening of the country’s crucial oil sector. Union leaders, meanwhile, have voiced concerns about privatizations and job cuts.

*Courtesy Reuters;

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

Delta state government has raised alarm over the continued presence of fraudsters at the Bureau of Local Government Pensions, (Governor’s Office) Asaba.

The public outcry is coming on the heels of myriad of complaints by members of the public, especially retirees and deceased Next-of-Kins who claim that staff of the Bureau of Local Government Pensions, (Governor’s Office) Asaba demand and collect illegal payment before processing their retirement and death benefits .

A statemnt issued by the state Director of Information, Mr. Paul Osahor and made available to Blank NEWS Online on Thursday, 14th April, 2016 however described the fraudsters as “pension agents” who pose as staff.

“The attention of the Delta State Bureau of Local Government Pensions, (Governor’s Office) Asaba, has been drawn to the fact that some unsuspecting retirees/deceased Next-of-Kin(s) particularly of Primary School/Local Government Education Authorities extraction in the State are being extorted by some unscrupulous and dubious individuals outside the Bureau, who have constituted themselves into pension “agents”.

“These individuals pretend to assist the retirees/deceased Next-of-Kin(s) with processing their retirement/death benefits in the Bureau and thereby collect/charge exorbitant sum of money for their services. More worrisome is that these “agents” charge their prey various sums of money under the guise that they are going to settle officers of the Bureau in order to facilitate payment of their retirement benefits.

“The management of the Bureau wishes to state without any form of contradiction that the Bureau does not collect money under any guise from retirees/families of deceased employees before processing their retirement benefits and has not engaged any “agent” to do so on its behalf. Members of the public, particularly Primary School/Local Government Education Authorities retirees are by this medium advised to process their files/documents directly to the Bureau and avoid the use of a third party or “agent” in order not to fall prey to the antics of these fraudsters.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Bureau operates an open door policy in pension administration and upholds the sanctity of first-come-first-serve policy in effecting payment to retirees of deceased employees.

“Members of the public are by this announcement advised to be vigilant and report any of such “agents” to the Bureau for prosecution. Authorities of the State Universal basic Education, Asaba and Local Government Education Authorities are also advised to take note.

“Members of the public should please be guided”, the statement warned.

Meanwhile, a retiree who pleaded anonymity frowned at the government statement and insists that the perpetrators are genuine staff of the Bureau of Local Government Pensions, (Governor’s Office) Asaba, adding that the same rot and corrupt practices which also thrives at the State Establishment can only stop when the agencies responsible for processing their retirement benefits are fully overhauled.

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka

Nigeria (Blank NEWS Online) – 

Prof. Osinbajo, who spoke shortly after an inspection visit to ongoing repair work at the terminal at the weekend, condemned the act of vandalism, explaining that it was as bad as any kind of terrorism and would not be tolerated by government because it is criminal and had adverse effect on the economy.

According to him ” Federal government is working with the state and Shell Petroleum Development Company to ensure that the damaged pipeline is repaired quickly because government is losing a lot of money since that terminal stopped working, About 300,000 barrels of crude oil daily is shut in which is a great loss to our economy.” he said

“Pipeline vandalism is what we are trying to curtail and we are beefing up security in the area to ensure that such incident does not happen again because it has also affected gas production in the country resulting in the epileptic power supply being experienced in the country.”

Also speaking, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, said that the Focardos Terminal was important to the state and federal government as it was the Export Terminal used by Shell Petroleum development Company to evacuate product for sale stressing that ” all production on land both crude and gas by Shell has been reduced, this is affecting power supply in the country.”

He expressed hope that the repair works on the damaged pipeline would be completed by May ending for operations to commence saying ” We were briefed by Shell that the repair works on the pipeline will be completed by May ending, it means that the terminal will become functional soon.”

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E.I.C: Albert Eruorhe Ograka