A Federal High Court in Lagos presided by Justice Mohammed Idris has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make open the whereabouts of the N191bn worth of assets seized from the convicted erstwhile Managing Director of Oceanic Bank Plc, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru.
Justice Idris, in a judgment on Tuesday, gave the banking sector regulator 72 hours within which to comply with the order..
The suit was instituted by the President of Progressive Shareholders Association, Mr. Boniface Okezie, as he sought to compel the CBN to release the information under the Freedom of Information Act.
Justice Idris also ordered CBN to declare “the total cash and value of properties recovered from Cecilia Ibru”.
He ordered the CBN to declare “the whereabouts of the money recovered from Cecilia Ibru; and what part of this cash and properties had been returned to Oceanic Bank and/or its shareholders.
“What is done officially must be done according to the law,” the judge held.
The judge was however not willing to grant the prayers of the plaintiff seeking the court to compel the CBN to also release information on the cost of its banking reform and the “amount of legal fees and other fees paid to professionals and professional bodies”.
Okezie had sought the court order that there be declaration of how much of the money was paid to the law firms of Olaniwun Ajayi LP and Kola Awodein.
He also wanted a declaration of how much was paid to Olaniwun Ajayi LP for the prosecution of Ibru and how much of the money stood as commissions on the properties recovered from her.
But the prayers were turned down on the grounds that the CBN was justified to have denied the information by the virtue of section 15 (1) of the FoI Act and the “legal practitioner-client privilege” as contained in section 16 of the Act.
Justice Idris upheld the argument of the defendant’s counsel, Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, even as he added that the plaintiff did not give sufficient evidence relating to “misconduct” in the payments to the law firms.
Okezie, had through his counsel, Chuks Nwachukwu, requested the information through a letter dated January 26, 2012.
Nwachukwu had stated in the letter that his client had observed that the two law firms “have completely dominated representation of CBN and its related bodies in the litigation sparked by the reforms.”
A traditional ruler in Ndokwa East Local Government has died during evacuation from his domain just as Delta state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has directed the heads of the flooded Local Government Areas of the state to drive the efforts to evacuate victims of the current flooding in the state.
The traditional ruler whose name is still being withheld for traditional reasons, drowned when the boat he was being evacuated with capsized even as the governor ordered all political appointees to go back to their council areas to help in checking the flood scourge.
Dr. Uduaghan who directed all political appointees to return to their local government areas to assist in the evacuation and rehabilitation efforts during a meeting with members of the flood disaster committee, political appointees and Heads of Personnel Management (HPM) of the affected local government areas, said those trapped by the flood must be evacuated within two days.
In particular, he said a comprehensive report of the flooding detailing every community affected, number of displaced persons, those trapped, casualties, rehabilitation camps; problems and challenges faced should be ready within the same period.
He noted that the welfare of the displaced persons was paramount to the state government, stressing that his administration was putting everything in place to make the rehabilitation camps conducive.
Governor Uduaghan called for assistance from different organisations, corporate bodies and NGO’S to contribute their quota in alleviating the sufferings of the displaced people, explaining that the burden was too heavy for government to bear alone.
“We are asking for assistance from other organisations and groups because everybody needs to be involved whether they are from the affected areas or not”, he stated.
“So far I have refused financial assistance from people, if any group or person has money to help the displaced people, they should convert it to tangible goods,” he said.
Speaking further, the governor said it was also the responsibility of the local government councils to provide for the displaced people in their jurisdiction decrying the nonchalant attitude of most of the councils to the flooding.
While briefing the governor on the activities the flood disaster committee, the chairman of the committee and deputy governor of the state Prof Amos Utuama (SAN) said the flood situation in the state was getting worse as almost all the coastal areas have been submerged.
He noted that the committee had visited the affected coastal areas, opened rehabilitation camps and ensured that the relief materials were distributed to the camps.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is set to arrest reverend fathers and leaders of the two Catholic Churches in Delta State which received from Francis Atuche, former managing director of Bank PHB, money believed to be stolen depositors’ funds, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting has reported.
Mr. Atuche, who is standing trial at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, paid N45 million he allegedly stole from depositor to St. Monica Catholic Church and St. Augustine Catholic Church, both located in Ibusa, Delta State.
While St. Monica got N35million as tithe from Atuche, St Augustine got N10million.
Sources in the commission told icirnigeria.org that the agency has taken a decision to recover the entire amount and plans to arrest the priests and leaders of both churches to help in the recovery of the money.
The EFCC, our sources revealed, wants to use this as a test case to deal with religious bodies who help criminals to launder money in the guise of performing religious obligations such as tithes, offerings and vows.
The commission is said to be worried that many Nigerians, in both the public and private sectors, who steal money hide under such religious obligations to launder some of their loot and anti – graft agencies and the police have found it difficult to deal with the matter because of it’s sensitive religious nature.
But one of our sources in the EFCC said the commission will “no longer tolerate religious institutions, whether churches or mosques, synagogues, shrines or whatever, receiving stolen money in the guise of offering or tithes”.
“It is money laundering, simple. You might pretend to be ignorant of the source of the money, but under the law if you receive money from proceeds of crime you are guilty of money laundering and ignorance is no excuse under the law,” the source said.
According to the source, henceforth, any money illicitly obtained and given to any religious body or organization will be fully recovered.
Apart taking from action on this particular case, it was gathered that the EFCC will also come out with a stern warning to religious houses to investigate the source of funds that come to them from worshippers, particularly when it involves public figures and large amounts of money.
The commission may also engage religious houses and organizations in the country through seminars and interactions to sensitize them about what the law says about receiving stolen funds.
The EFCC has great latitude under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004 to prosecute persons who receive proceeds of crime.
In fact, such persons, under the Act are liable to a jail term of between two to three years.
Section 14: (1) (a) of the Act makes it an offense for any person to convert or transfer any resources or property derived from illicit traffic in drugs, crimes and other illicit acts.
More specifically, Section 14: (1) (b) states that any person that “collaborates in concealing or disguising the Genuine nature, origin, location, disposition, movement or ownership of the resources, property or right thereto derived directly or indirectly from the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substance or any other crime or illicit act commits a crime”
The person is also “liable on conviction to a term not less than 2 years or mare than 3 years”.
Section 16 of the Act also makes it an offense punishable by up to five years imprisonment for anybody to “retain the proceeds of a crime or illegal act on behalf of another person knowing or suspecting that the other person to be engaged in a criminal conduct or has benefited from a criminal conduct.”
The Act also does not preclude a corporate body from prosecution as Section 18 (1) states: “Where an offense under this act has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed the instigation or with the connivance of or attributable to any neglect on the part of a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person purporting to act in any such capacity, he, as well as the body corporate shall be guilty of that offense and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.”
Under Section 18 (2) the court can order any corporate body found guilty to be wound up and it’s assets and property forfeited to the federal government.
Mr. Atuche and others are standing trial for stealing over N10 billion belonging to Bank PHB. At the resumed hearing in the case before Justice Lateefat Okunnu last week, a witness, Solomon AbolajiOgunsola, a former staff of PHB Mortgages Limited, alleged that Atuche paid the N45 million tithes from an account of PHB Mortgage Limited.
Lead prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, presented documents in court, including e-mail orders for the releaseof the sum of N45 million to the two churches.
The gong for Igbo people to produce president of Nigeria in the 2015 elections has started to clang. The reverberation is deafening the ears than any other gong clanging contrarily. The echo of the gong for this assignment has been heard from Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu who was former governor of Abia State. Kalu is restating the need the Igbo should produce the next president of this country. His tireless campaign for this reason illustrates that there could be something going on within the powers that are, against the Igbo in the forthcoming elections. And with a persona like Kalu, who knows Nigeria and the inner-circle too well, any attempt to shortchange the Igbo from actualization this, may not hold any water.
Is it not an insult that Nigeria is still keeping the Igbo to be playing the 3rdfiddle forty-two years after the civil war? Against this influence, Kalu believes that the Nigeria/Biafra civil war has not come to an appropriate end till he sees the Igbo become a noteworthy president in Nigeria; not any other time, but in 2015. This is coming on the hills when some Nigerian Jacobic quarters are saying that the Igbo are not organized; hence they cannot produce the next president. On the contrary, Kalu has been asking whether other tribes that have produced president had two heads. On the other hand, he wants the maximum support from other tribes to make the Igbo president of this country.
Conceivably, it’s because the Igbo have not produced the president of this country significantly that has led to majority of the roads in any areas the Igbo have as their homes not tarred resulting to the dampening of the eco/socio lives of the Igbo. Social infrastructure in Igbo-land is a story for another day. Politics in the area has been the dictates of Abuja, whereby such names as “Abuja politicians”and “home base politicians” are heard, as if politics has become a football club, where names like ‘international players’ and ‘home base’ are heard. And Kalu didn’t mince words when he said: “It has also been shown that those who boot-lick presidents in Nigeria since independence never do well; they don’t even tar the roads, they don’t give free education, they do nothing to salvage their states because they believed the president is their boss; if the president asks them to go and put their house on fire they will go and do it, which I feel is not in consonance with democratic concept.”
The above could be the reason elections have been rigged in this country, because the powers that are in Abuja control the Army, Police, Navy, just the Force, and are ready to make or mar, for anything they gun to get. They are ready to give backup to any “Abuja politician” to defeat any “home base” in an election. Nigerians once saw this played in a South-East state where a sitting governor was molested and latter was abducted in a broad daylight and the powers that were in Abuja gave maximum support to the ‘home base’ political gangsters, who were shamelessly parading themselves as godfathers and godmothers of the state’s politics, leading to a notable Igbo son from the state rejecting a National Honour that was awarded to him, even a second time.
Have Ndigbo not been manipulated enough in this country? How long shall the powers that are continue to divide Ndigbo against theirselves? Kalu is squabbling today that this habit and sundry are advised against in the future elections. He stepped down from contesting in the 2011 presidential elections he had shown full blown interest in, when it was obvious that majority of the Igbo personalities and organizations had shown interest to support President Goodluck Jonathan, an Ijaw-man, who was murmured had an intention for one term and later, it would be the turn of the Igbo. But the darling of power seems has entered Jonathan’s marrow and the same murmurings, are making the rounds today that he has the interest to be president beyond 2015. Ndigbo from all walks of life, no matter their residences, gave President Goodluck Jonathan their maximum support in the 2011 elections, and it is expected that the president will in turn, give them his support to be president in 2015. So, was Kalu right when he said that it would be an insult to the Igbo for anybody to feel that they cannot produce president in 2015?
It is obvious that Kalu has been fighting for the unity of this country against his own businesses and family for too long. He has always come out openly to call injustice by its name when others are clamouring for the debris they will get from the government. Somebody may be thinking that why Kalu is fighting for the Igbo to produce the next president is because he wants to be president. This is far from being the truth. Kalu has only declared that injustices that are being meted out to Ndigbo since the colonial rule to date can only come to an end, when the Igbo becomes the president of this country. This is the reason Nigerians should rally round Kalu in making sure that this purpose is actualized, because injustice is not monopolistic.
Who knows whose turn this injustice will turn to by tomorrow, if it is not nipped in the bud today? One thing with Kalu is that he has a humane heart. Those who have such a heart know that he has come out openly in recent times and said that Nigerians will get it right this time even if they could have made some mistakes in the past. What do people know as an apology if not this? Or do certain persons want when he comes and prostrate? In earnest, he has pleaded for the peace and unity of Nigeria. Kalu’s attitude to saying that things will be right this time shows the Igbo adage that says,“Peace is for the elder to initiate”. And Kalu is suing for peace which should not be misconstrued for cowardice. No. He is doing this because of his love for this country. This is evident when majority of Ndigbo have said that Kalu is a man of peace and will lead them more than the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu did. And the late Ojukwu and Kalu have something in common – fearless and outspoken. Hence, Kalu is diplomatic and is much relevant in the Nigeria’s politics than certain bunch of political jobbers that spread across Nigeria.
From observations on Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu’s movement that the Igbo should produce the next president of Nigeria, he is not saying that the person must come from his village in Igbere. No. So, it is important that those asking about the state the Igbo president will come from, to put down the lid of their mouths. Such statement is divisiveness than it is a mere question. This is because the Igbo are Igbo no matter their different geographical enclaves. The State does not really matter; after all, States are created to divide the people the more. For example, the present day Rivers State was created in 1967, at the pick of the Nigeria/Biafra war. Rivers State was created out of the old Eastern Region controlled by Biafra in order to weaken the strength of the young republic in that case. Those who clamoured for the Rivers State creation, on seeing the actualisation, started to sing a discordant song from that, which they initial were across the world singing alongside with their Biafran brethrens, and things fell apart. This is from where Nigerians of today learnt to say that they are from this state or the other state, without holding renowned grip to their aborigines. Some people feel that they are save when they say they are from Anambra State, Imo State or the other, than when they say they are from Igbo. Just as was experienced among the people that were carved into the then Rivers State; they habitually say that they were from Rivers State, and not from Biafra, particularly anytime they were confronted by the then belligerent Nigerian Forces. Hooey!
Kalu is one man who has stood a tested reputation by saying that he is a Nigerian when others were grabbing ethnicity, and this belief cost him a lot during his eight-year rule, as governor of Abia State, under the presidency of the Owu generalissimo, called Olusegun Obasanjo, who is Yoruba. People must learn to respect their heroes. Kalu did not move against the Third Term agenda of Obasanjo, because he’s Igbo; but because he’s a Nigerian, who meant well for the wellbeing of all Nigerians. Thus, why should the proponents of the Third Term that Kalu was in the forefront against now lengthening it against the Igbo from becoming the next president of this country? This is the bane! And Kalu from his bravado is not pleased with the Agenda that the Igbo will not be president in 2015. This is not a tribal sentiment! And if there is any sentimentin Nigeria, it is not from the Igbo, but from those who have made it their duty that the Igbo will not produce the president of this country. Anybody who does not see that Kalu is making a point is really making a mistake. He had enlightened,“We have enough as a country to feed our 200 million people; we have enough in human and material resources to make our roads better. People are not being given what they bargained for because they are not genuinely elected; these results are written, supported by the army and the police, these people are shameless. They will never do it again. It is going to be one man, one vote and no army man will carry any ballot box again in Igboland or in Nigeria, we will not accept that. It will not happen again. Even if he is general to heaven, we will fight him and fight his whole family. If they do what is unconstitutional, we will repeat what will be unconstitutional too because that is the only way we are going to check this rubbish.”
This is a strict statement. Come to think of it. This is a country where many regarded as leaders are not thinking properly for the future. The only crowns they wear are poor performance and attacks on critics. Some leaders in this country are just being lucre. Kalu is today asking the Igbo to learn from the past. Majority of the people are supporting Kalu for this rightful cause, because they could not see any magic those who come from other tribes have done as president, hence the Igbo should be given a chance, and also the foreign powers should leave Nigeria alone. Let Nigeria have faith in the Igbo, who have ever shown that they have confidence in themselves and always, have supported the cause of people from other tribes.
For example, Kalu’s corporations are for-the-most-part manned by people from other tribes. This does not mean that he hates the people of his tribe. Rather, he always wants to lead by example that the Igbo are not haters of people from other tribes. Conversely, Kalu should let the past be in the past, and continue with the crusade for the actualization of the Igbo president in the 2015 general elections. Every Nigerian should give him the maximum support that this crusade requires and deserves. This is the time the Igbo should be waiting for. No matter the party differences, all Nigerians should come together, and think about how the Igbo have been much humiliated in this country. Other tribes have achieved much leaving the Igbo to their industrious fate. Let the Igbo comeback to their senses and respect Kalu. He is speaking up for Nigeria. Without people like him, the actualization of this will be a tall dream. He is not a man that can be bought with money. His scuttle with the Third Term agenda is an epitome of what many have been talking about: when some men sold out, he remained unbendable.
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Odimegwu Onwumere, Poet/Author, Media/Writing Consultant and Motivator, is the Coordinator, Concerned Non-Indigenes In Rivers State (CONIRIV); and Founder, Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), Rivers State, Nigeria.
Workers of Abia State unified Local Government system have slammed officials of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Abia State chapter for allegedly using substandard materials in the construction of the NULGE secretariat and hotel which collapsed in Umuahia.
A two storey NUGLE secretariat building that was also to serve as hotel and which was nearing completion, collapsed last week.
The council workers have continued to demand for probe over the roles played by the NULGE executives who also serve as the building committee members.
Members of the NULGE state executives accused in supervising the shoddy work at the secretariat which led to its collapse included Eze Idima, D.C Chigbu, Ijeoma Onyenaucheya, Ikechi Nwigwe and Precious Chukwuemeka. Others were Austin Ekpo, Okechukwu Iwejua, Aja A. Aja and Linda Monday.
The workers who preferred anonymity for fear of victimization expressed sadness that the NULGE officials under the guise of executing the project through direct labour, engaged the services of a junior staff of Arochukwu local government simply identified as Enyinnaya, alleged to be related to the NULGE President, Idima, whom they accused of not having any experience in the building construction industry to oversee such gigantic project.
The workers accused Idima and his executives of deciding to construct the secretariat which they said had cost local council workers in the state several millions of naira through direct labour and bypassing town planning engineers to employ the services of an unqualified staff who used sub standard materials for the project, for personal monetary gains.
They said it was painful that a project that was being financed by the three percent check off dues of the over 30, 000 Abia local council workforce including a levy of between N1, 000 to N5, 000 per worker and which has not been accounted for, could be allowed to go down the drains due to the insensitivity of the NULGE executives and called for a probe.
“Most of the executives have buildings here in Abia and outside the state and none has collapsed, why the secretariat? They used substandard materials in the construction of such gigantic building and employed the services of an inexperienced juior staff to supervise the project in the guise of using direct labour so that they could make more money to themselves and now the workers are the worst for it ”, they said
247ureports.com gathered that few days after the building collapsed, the office of the general manager, Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA) issued a statement, blaming the collapse of the secretariat complex on the use of substandard materials and immediately stopped further work on the project.
When contacted, the President of the Abia State chapter of NULGE, Comrade Eze Idima denied the allegation of wrong doing by any executive of the union in the construction of the collapsed building, maintaining that standard materials were used.
Despite the US embargo, the US government has tentatively agreed to allow Sri Lanka continue importing crude oil from Iran because of Sri Lanka’s satisfactory performance in the wake of trade sanctions, a senior Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) official said yesterday.
He told Daily Mirror he was joined by External Affairs Ministry officials at talks with a US State Department representative Miss Alison in Washington with the intention of easing the sanctions on Sri Lanka.
“The US government is glad that Sri Lanka reduced the import of Iranian crude oil from 14 shipments to 10 during the trade embargo. Therefore, the US is ready to allow Sri Lanka to import 10 shipments of Iranian Light for the use of Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery (SOR) as only Iranian crude oil is suitable for the purpose,” Mr. Siva said.
But he said there were other issues to be addressed before resuming the import of crude oil from Iran as a result of the trade embargo.
Mr. Silva said Sri Lanka was not in a position to import crude oil from Iran until the issues pertaining to freight insurance, bank transactions and LOC which have been restricted in respect of trade with Iran.
He said Sri Lanka was in the process of sorting out these problems with the State Department and a final decision was expected at the end of this month when Miss Alison visited Sri Lanka once again for further discussion on the matter.
The government has contacted the Sultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia to purchase crude oil to fill the gap as Sri Lanka requires 14 shipments of 135,000 metric tons each of crude oil annually. The agreement with Oman is expected to be signed shortly
The SOR was designed by Iranian in such a way that it could refine only Iranian Light produced by that country. The SOR refines 6,000 metric tons of Iranian light a day and after the recent repair work, the refinery runs at 80 per cent capacity.
Mr. Silva said there was no fuel crisis right now and ample stocks were available.
He said CPC would not increase fuel prices though the IOC increased their petrol and diesel prices recently and added that the IOC fuel price increase would not have a big impact on the local market as CPC is the market leader with 95% market share
A professional sycophant and stark illiterate who hails, from neighboring Niger republic and now a traditional title holder of Bauchi emirate after intensive lobbying, scheming and bootlicking, and was once the Bauchi state publicity secretary of All Peoples party (APP) and the proprietor of a Bauchi based printing and publishing company now relocated to Abuja for crumbs, has started his usual game of overheating the polity for business as usual.
An investigation reveals that the professional sycophant popularly known as Maibabban kai, has over the time been overheating the polity to curry favor from the FCT Minister in his effort to corner lucrative contracts and plots of land in the FCT.
Part of his game plan is the sponsorship of radio discussion programmes on the local radio as well as using the pages of newspaper to place advertisements in support of the embattled minister whose failure to deliver service is glaringly clear.
Apart from his educational deficiency and unruly behavior, the stark illiterate and his co-travelers had established an NGO misusing the name of the north purportedly to showcase the few achievements recorded by the minister with them as the main beneficiaries of the claimed achievements.
Tanko Abdullahi, who hails from Gwantu in Kaduna state and residing at Nyanya, a suburb of FCT said, “The Good Governance tour initiated by the minister of information, Labarun Maku is only a Media jamboree meant to deceive the president and the people against inept governance. Senator Bala Muhammed remains the worst FCT Minister ever in the history of the territory but given a national honor for disgracing the administration he serves”.
Timothy Danladi who comes from Loko in Nasarawa state and working as a security guard in Garki Area 11, and was of the opinion that, “The FCT Minister is not performing as a public servant but the president is still retaining him in the cabinet perhaps for a selfish purpose. The beauty of Abuja is fast going while insecurity is becoming alarming. Let the man be pushed aside to save the FCT from further decay”.
Despite several promises for better service delivery by president Goodluck, critics posit that the opposite is the case in the present administration.
Nuraini Olawole of Save Nigeria Group (SNG) said, “We are watching events as they unfold themselves in the present administration. The president has already lost touch with the reality on the ground. He has lost grip of his administration and has allowed corrupt practices to consume service delivery. It is a sad situation”.
As more facts are revealed, the likes of Maibabban kai are there dishing out tissues of lies on the pages of newspapers for deceitful purpose and to confuse the president the more to retain their god father.
Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia State with his wife Chief Mrs. Mercy Odochi Orji, Sir Emeka Ananaba, Deputy Governor of Abia state and his wife Lady Nene Ananaba during an Interdenominational Church Service to mark the 52nd Independence Anniversary of Nigeria at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.
A Broadcast Message to the Good People of Abia State, By His Excellency, Chief T. A. Orji (Ochendo), Governor Abia State, On The Occasion Of the 52nd Anniversary Celebration Of Nigeria’s Independence, 1st Day Of October, 2012.
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My Good People Of Abia State Distinguished Ladies And Gentlemen!
I am very pleased to address you today, as we celebrate the 52nd Anniversary of our Nation’s Independence, which has become an annual ritual of remembrance and assessment of our journey so far.
Each year of our celebration has become a unique opportunity to appraise our collective journey and all the issues that impact on our politics and economic growth. Despite what remains to be achieved, it can be said that our collective journey into Statehood, Nationhood and Political Leadership, remains a story in courage, as we all struggle to meet the aspirations and expectations of Nigerians, as well as keep our Nation and our communities united under one country.
In our Nation and in our States, the needs of our people have been growing, even as challenges of resources fail to meet all the expectations. But what should also be paramount in our assessment of the Nation’s achievements should be the sincerity and devotion to service, which each leadership brings into the political enterprise.
This requires that our leaders be the change agents and also have the courage to take the painful decisions of laying the foundation that create the enabling environment for the sustainability of growth of our States. The results and eventual assessments are not just for now, but for future generations.
Our Government is committed to being the change agent that will take the painful decision to laying the foundation that will rebuild Abia State for posterity. I know that this has been the less travelled route, which also tests the loyalty and commitments of disciples, but that is the only reasonable route, if we must guarantee the future of our State for our young generation.
That is why our Government has embarked on our legacy projects, to lay the appropriate foundations and create the enabling institutions and values that will support a virile socio-political community to guarantee the emergence of a new Abia State. I challenge Abians to come on board to make this foundation stronger, for a faster realization of our collective dreams.
I see this year’s independence anniversary celebration, not just as a time for stock-taking of what we have achieved, but essentially of a re-evaluation of the potentials of our people and our State. Through-out the Nation and the State, our citizens must begin to move away from the anachronistic belief that Governments can alone do everything to develop our Nation and our State. Everywhere, we must all be willing to renew our community spirits of readiness to partner with Governments, in monitoring and developing our communities, cities and the State.
Here in Abia State, I see a huge potential and capacity of our people in building an enduring and sustainable economy, which is what is required to strengthen the security of our State.
Partnering with our Government, our citizens can become the champions that propel our hard worn battle with kidnappers and general insecurity in the State, and through that further solidify the necessary environment for business development and creation of new jobs for our citizens, especially the youth. I also believe that our citizens, and our youth, can commit to doing more to help preserve our environments and in rebuilding our cities.
These are some of the untapped potentials of our people that can assist our Governments perform optimally in many areas, including the creation of an educational economy through our on-going International Conference Center, which we all crave for in the State. Our concern for the good health of our citizens, which is the first principle of a sustainable development, will be taken care of through the growing medical facilities and diagnostic centers which we have built all over the State. All these and many others, are parts of our legacy projects, which have come to be our strategy for sustainable development in this State.
This strategy will define whether our Government merely serves the present instincts of our citizens, or whether we are able to build the institutional foundation that will serve our State for generations. That is why we consistently seek our citizens understanding, patience and collaboration, so that we can successfully pursue our projects to good conclusions.
As we also seek to address the major infrastructural needs of our people today, especially in our prominent city of Aba, Enyimba, we will expect that our people will not only partner with us, but also share our dreams of rebuilding Aba and Abia State. That is why our Government has taken a little more time to properly re-evaluate the physical, economic and environmental problems of Aba Metropolis. We consulted with our citizens and reached a solid plan to now implement necessary changes in that city.
I certainly share with many of our citizens, the frustrations you have been going through in Aba, as a result of the rains and the impact on deteriorating physical infrastructures, especially roads. We have now resolved that as soon as the rainy season subsides, Aba dwellers should expect Government’s aggressive repair of Aba roads, and new construction in the city that will follow.
Our enhancement of security will also continue in Aba and the entire State, despite the enormous costs that this entails. We believe that progress in other areas of our socio-economic and political realm; will depend on the level of success we achieve in the security of lives and property of citizens in the State.
We have also drawn up a blue-print to permanently tackle the issue of flooding in Aba, and will aggressively pursue the opening up and desisting of all drains in Aba, so that all flood water will begin to find their channels down to the Aba River. We equally intend to dredge and clean up the Aba River, so that we can begin to apply it for economic purposes of hospitality industries and its value chain activities.
It is for the above purpose that our Government has resolved that all houses that are built on water channels, or those obstructing the easy passage of flood water, must be prepared to go. We are very determined to see through this policy, while implementing it with reduced pain on house owners. But I expect that anyone found to be involved in such infractions, must be ready to make some sacrifices for the general good of rebuilding Aba for all Abians and for all our Igbo brothers that have found Aba as a melting point for riches and attainment of their lives’ expectations. The truth is that no good thing comes easy in life, and rebuilding Aba is a challenge we all must face bravely.
Also the erection of buildings in any of our cities must be according to approved plans, and this will now be adequately enforced and monitored. In these process, errant public officials that in any way collude with or abate the erection of illegal structures, will face serious sanctions, including dismissal from office.
While our Government is committed to building great cities, legacy government monuments, roads, maintenance of our staff and in developing our State economy, we want our citizens to understand that in addition to other sources of fund available to Government, all these projects are financed through taxes paid by taxable citizens. This is one of the inviolable contracts binding Governments and citizens, especially in a democratic governance.
Our Government however, pledges to our citizens that we will continue to prudently manage our collective resources for the general good of the State and our citizens, as well as ensure the provision of expected democratic dividends for all our citizens.
Towards the above, our Government has listened to the suggestions of citizens on the creation and management of our State resources. We are anxious to now review and standardize our Internal Revenue realization policies in Aba and elsewhere. This will give it the human face our citizens will support with confidence, and a willingness to pay. It is against this background that we have commenced the implementation of a New Abia State Internal Revenue and Collection Platform.
In this new Platform, all those involved in the present revenue collection of the State, have been given notices to wind-up and vacate their activities with effect from the end of December, 2012. They are to leave the new accredited Government Revenue Consultants, to begin to do their job. This era will herald an end to double taxation and all other unsavory burdens that have been weighing down on our tax- paying citizens, and making the tax system unhealthy and unfair.
This systematic tax revenue collection platform is fair, equitable and with a human face, and will take-off by the beginning of January 2013 fiscal year. From that period, composite tax demand notices will be issued to all landlords, factory owners, and other taxable property holders – with very clear details of all payable taxes. Such taxes will be payable only on a yearly basis, and through the accredited Government Bank Accounts in selected Banks. This approach is to ensure that our citizens are secured from multiple taxations and other unwholesome activities that the paying public has complained against.
Our Government is equally concerned with the operational environment of our traders, residents and other organized private business sectors in the State, especially Aba, Umuahia and other major towns. We know the impact that constant electricity supply has in the boosting of trading, manufacturing, promotion of artisanship and other levels of entrepreneurship. That is why we are still working hard with the Federal Government’s Ministry of Power, to maximize the output of the Ohiya Power Plant.
These efforts will be further consolidated by the coming on stream of the NIPP Projects in Alaoji and the Geometric Power Plants in Aba. When these happen, as expected within the first and second quarters of 2013, energy supply in Aba and its environs will be adequately boosted for improved business in Aba and use of residents in other areas of Abia State.
We need to remind our citizens that the maintenance of our environments is not only for its aesthetic beauty, but also for its health implication, preservation of our historic relics, and the creation of jobs in the urban areas.
We will continue to maintain constant refuse disposal from the points of designated accumulations, to enhance the environmental situation of Aba and other Urban Areas, by providing more trucks, servicing of old ones, and ensuring the welfare of our workers in this vital service area.
But we also need the cooperation of our residents, factory owners and landlords, in ensuring environmental cleanliness, and in using provided refuse bins, instead of deliberately dumping refuse into gutters and drainages. It is said that cleanliness is next to Godliness, and Abia State, as God’s Own State, should begin to live-up to the full meaning of its name.
I need to recall that a few years ago, our State and all our citizens were not only battling with kidnapping, insecurity of lives and property of our citizens, especially in Aba City; we were also battling the flight of businesses, capital and labor from our cities to other safe areas. It was sad to see new old jobs eroded in our cities and desperate youths seeking for just any kind of job to maintain a healthy life.
Today, we have fairly won the war on insecurity, and still aggressively sustaining it at a great cost. But I am very concerned that unemployment is still high in our State and our cities. This is why we have keyed into the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda, and very soon, we expect new jobs to be created in our State in the agricultural sector. I expect our youths and all idle city dwellers to see a good reason to migrate back to the rural areas, and be ready to adopt new mind-sets that embrace agriculture for self actualization.
In this era of new choices, our youths cannot only create wealth and gainful employment, but they have the chances of emerging as young agro-entrepreneurs, who will benefit from the numerous financial incentives and inputs that our Government has been rolling out, including the disbursement of the N1 billion agricultural loan now available to eligible farmers. Both the State and the Federal Government are doing everything to ensure that agriculture is made a lucrative and attractive business for those that take the pain and work hard to remain in the profession, especially our youths.
We are also concerned with the state of our pensioners and existing work-force, and will ensure that they receive their due payments and on a timely basis. This is why we are anxiously doing everything to increase our internally generated revenue through taxes and other revenues. We seek the cooperation of our citizens in achieving these feats, but more especially, we encourage our parents and young people to continue to value and seek quality education, which has been credited for providing citizens with an escape from crushing weight of poverty, all over the democratic world.
Our Government will continue to support good and quality education of our citizens, and that is why we recently handed back some schools to their original Mission and other Individual Owners – who indicated their interests to partner with Government in providing both moral and qualitative education, under a standard set up by our Government.
We all know that Abia State was founded on the ideals and reasons of the perceived distinction of a unique people, who were willing to apply their ingenuity to build a great State of their own. This is why I am using this occasion of the celebration of the Independence of our Nation, to remind Abians that they should never forget to make that individual difference that will ensure the vision of a greater Abia State becomes a reality.
I call on all Abians to join hands with our Government, so that we can succeed in transforming Abia State to match all our dreams. We must learn to make sacrifices for this State; we should always engage in activities that do not just support hard work, honesty and the ingenuity that Abians are known for, but at all times, promote the values and attitudes that support democracy, individual creativity and the collective confidence to make Abia State greater. This means that our individual political disagreements should never be a reason to destroy the very values of peace, harmony and mutual respect, which are pre-requisites to developing Abia State.
We should never forget that the legitimacy of our nascent democracy and the coherence of our democratic ideology, rely heavily upon a belief in reason, not violence, as an instrument for our collective and individual social development and fulfillment. No Government can do it alone, without the commitments and supports of citizens.
Today, I and my Government have renewed our willingness to make the optimum sacrifice in laying the foundation for the future greatness of Abia State. I am confident that Abians will support and cooperate with us in this endeavor, so that together, we can turn the ingenuity of our people into the full enrichment of all of us.
It is only then that future celebration of our Independence anniversaries will have intrinsic meaning for all of us and the new generations of future Abians.
Information reaching 247ureports.com from eyewitness sources at the Federal Polytechnic at Mubi, Adamawa State where gunmen shot students at their hostel on the afternoon of October 1, 2012 – indicates that the operation by the gunmen lasted for thirteen [13] hours from 2pm to 3am the next day without the intervention of the men of the Joint Task Force [JTF].
As gathered, the students of the Federal Polytechnic were reported to have had quarrels resulting from a student government election that did not seat well with a faction of the student body. The quarrels did not rise to the level of violence till the afternoon of Monday October 1, 2012 when some youths believed to be Muslims and acted as students of the institution began searching each room of every hostel for students who they claimed had tipped the security agents of their activities and of their weapons depot.
It is recalled that on September 25, 2012, the men of JTF raided the camp of Boko Haram arresting 156 suspects, killing one suspect while recovering a cache of deadly weapons.
Our source indicates that the gunmen came to the hostel area simply to avenge the supposed arrest of their members. The gunmen were said to be questioning their would-be victims before shooting them at pointblank range – to the forehead. “They will ask whether you are Muslim or Christian”, said the source who continued that “if you answer Muslim, they will ask you to recite the Kalmar Shahada”, failure to recite the Kalmar Shahada results to a bullet to the forehead. They also asked their world-be victims of their tribe before shooting them.
However, the whereabouts of the JTF during the 13 hours of operation by the gunmen remains an unanswered question. Prior to the attack on Monday October 1, 2012, the community of Mubi was placed under full curfew. The entire local government area was placed under a blanketing curfew. Roadblocks / checkpoints were mounted intermittently to checkmate infiltration of would-be terrorists. The men of JTF were also staged to rove around the community frequently – enough to detect ongoing or unfolding terrorist activities.
While the Muslim gunmen operated for an estimated time span of 13 hours, shooting and killing selectively students of their choice, the men of the JTF strikingly remained out of sight – until after the end of the operation by the gunmen. It then begs the question, how did the gunmen beat the security checkpoints and the curfew? How did the gunmen regain their seized weapons to stage a 13 hour operation without interference from JTF?
Meanwhile, new information indicates that two Churches were burnt in the process. The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), Dr. Stanley Stephen, told our correspondent that the gunmen opened fire on the students, set ablaze a church and other buildings.
