A 28 year old single mother and four other suspected drug traffickers have been apprehended over alleged ingestion of 398 wraps of narcotics. The drugs weighing 7.1kg consist of 1.1kg of methamphetamine and 6kg of cocaine. The suspects were caught by men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja.
NDLEA Commander at the Abuja Airport, Mr Hamisu Lawan gave the names of the suspects as Udoka Peace Egbuchelam, 28 year old single mother who ingested 73 wraps of methamphetamine weighing 1.1kg; Ezechi Chinedu Nwabueze, 45 years old who ingested 95 wraps of cocaine weighing 2kg and Uzoukwu Uzomba Joel, 54 years old who ingested 85 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.5kg. Others are Obiora Boniface Okechukwu 36 years old who ingested 91 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.6kg and Eze Onyebuchi Everest 32 years old who swallowed 54 wraps of cocaine weighing 900 grammes.
According to Hamisu, apart from Udoka Peace Egbuchelam and Ezechi Chinedu Nwabueze who were to board Ethiopian Airline flights to Malaysia and Istanbul other suspects were caught during inward screening of passengers.
The only female among the five suspects said that she wanted enough money to pay for tuition fees of her 5 year old daughter. In her words, “I wanted to pay the school fees of my daughter. Since my arrest, I have been worried because I do not know how she is coping without me. The people that gave me the drug promised to pay me the sum of 2,700 dollars” Udoka stated. Udoka Peace Egbuchelam hails from Mbaitolu Local Government Area of Imo State. She attended Nza Central School Uzobulu and Girls Secondary School Uzobulu.
Ezechi Chinedu Nwabueze a trader that sells shirts in Benin Republic ingested 95 wraps of cocaine weighing 2kg. He hails from Uzowani Local Government Area of Enugu State. “I am the only child of my parents. My problem began when my shop got burnt and nobody was willing to help me. I was to deliver the drugs in Istanbul, Turkey” he stated.
Another suspect, Uzoukwu Uzomba Joel left Brazil with 85 wraps of cocaine weighing
1.5kg in his stomach. His reason for smuggling cocaine according to him is frustration and sickness. He left Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Doha, Cairo and Abuja. Other suspects that attempted smuggling drugs from Brazil are Obiora Boniface Okechukwu and Eze Onyebuchi Everest.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said that the single mother would have been killed if she was caught outside the country because of the capital punishment for drugs in Malaysia. He urged members of the public to avoid drug trafficking. “We are happy to prevent the untimely death of another Nigerian over drug trafficking” Giade stated.
The Ohaneze Ndigbo Kano State chapter has distanced themselves from what it termed a mischievious attempt by persons in Kano State to use the name of Ohaneze Ndigbo to achieve a criminal objective.
Today, September 22, 2012, a group of Muslims protested in Kano against the American film that depicted the Prophet Mohammed [SAW[ in a negative light.
The President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Kano State Chapter, Chief Tobias Idika in reacting to the protest rally held by Muslims in Kano over the film on Prophet Mohammed [SAW] told 247ureports.com- that a group of persons dressed in Ohaneze regalia joined the protest match [see picture above] carrying placards indicating that Ohaneze Ndigbo Kano had sent them on the match. The group held placards stating “Ohaneze Ndigbo na sopulu Mohammed“.
Chief Idika was quick to distance the kano state chapter from the actions of the group claiming be from Ohaneze. The Ohaneze Ndigbo Kano State chapter president made it clear that he was not aware of the said protest. “We have no part in this“
Barely a year after hosting its maiden edition at the Imo state popular Concorde Hotel, the organizers of New Nigerian Diva, Viewtrend Entertainment is set to host the second season of the reality show.
The three – in – one event: reality show, beauty pageant and talent hunt is aimed at discovering and nurturing talents inherent in young female Nigerians in the areas of acting, modeling and singing, thereby helping them actualize their dreams by providing them with the requisite platform/latitude to leverage on.
According to the Executive Producer of the show who doubles as the CEO of Viewtrend Entertainment Limited, Mr. Dozie Eboh, said this year’s edition promises to be more exciting and extremely engaging, adding that much preparation have been made as the star prize is a plot of land in Lagos state (which is sponsored by Prestige Virtue Court and publishers of Royalty International Magazine), modeling contracts, a return ticket to a foreign country of the winner’s choice plus recording deals.
Speaking on the challenges and the overall success of the maiden edition which had Miss Vanessa Mong beating fourteen other finalists to emerge the first ever New Nigerian Diva, Eboh notedthat preparations are in top gear to have a zonal auditions in South –South, South – East, North and South –West this time so to enable other interested female Nigerians to be part of its second edition.
However, he added that registration is currently on and that it will be closing by September 30, 2012 before the zonal audition dates that would be announced after the closure.
Also recalling, the National screening that held last year wrapped up with the selection 30 contenders that were camped at White House hotel in Lagos, and after thorough screening by its jury, only fifteen made it to the grand finale that held in Imo State with an award of excellence presented to some personalities in the country.
The last year’s grand finale which was hosted by the Imo State Government had some notable dignitaries and celebrities in attendance. As personalities like Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha (Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representative), Rt. Hon. Ben Uwajimogu (Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly) , Dr. Mrs. Angela Uwakwem (Chief Medical Director, FMC, Owerri), Chief Emeka Offor, Sen. Osita Izunaso and host of others.
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will leave Abuja tomorrow to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 67th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York which has the peaceful resolution of international disputes, a theme endorsed by him in his statement to the 66thGeneral Assembly last year, as its main focus.
The President of the 67th Assembly, Mr. Vuk Jeremic of Serbia announced at its opening on Tuesday that having consulted widely on the matter, he has chosen“bringing about adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by peaceful means” as the overarching theme for the General Assembly’s work over the next 12 months.
It will be recalled that President Jonathan had in his 2011 address to the General Assembly called on the international community to muster the political will to promote preventive diplomacy for the peaceful resolution of international disputes through mediation.
“For too long, the international community has focused too little attention on mediation and preventive diplomacy and far too much effort and resources on military aspects of peace and security. Yet, measures to address the root cause of conflict, including dialogue and mediation, can be far more effective as means to achieving sustainable peace and stability.
“As I see it, our goal should always be to present the peaceful alternative as a less costly and effective way of achieving political and social objectives. By focusing on mediation as a tool for conflict prevention, we are able to address the real triggers of conflict, without which we cannot achieve sustainable solutions,” President had declared in his address to world leaders at the United Nations last year.
The President’s delegation to New York includes Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Philip Aduda, Honourable Isa Ashiru Mohammed, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the Minister of Trade and Investment.
In addition to participating in the 67thSession of the General Assembly, President Jonathan is also scheduled to meet with other world leaders including the Presidents of China, France, South Korea, Brazil, Bulgaria, Finland and Switzerland in New York.
He will also deliver a statement to the High-Level Meeting on the Rule of Law at the United Nations Headquarters and join the Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg with whom he currently serves as co-Chairperson of the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children in presenting its report to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon.
President Jonathan will also attend a High-Level Meeting on the Nigerian Economy, meet with the Chairman and top executives of the global oil giant, Exxon-Mobil, attend a reception hosted by President Barack Obama of the United States and the Secretary-General’s High-Level event on the eradication of Polio.
Recognized nuclear weapon states oppose Iran, Egypt, which wanted language on nuclear disarmament at IAEA.
VIENNA – Western states defeated an Iranian proposal at the UN nuclear agency’s annual assembly on Saturday to amend their draft resolution on a policy area central to its work in preventing the spread of atom bombs.
The draft text was adopted in a vote shortly after midnight after days of closed-door negotiations failed to achieve the traditional consensus, with divisions between a small number of countries led by Iran and a much larger Western-dominated group.
Diplomats said Iran and Egypt had wanted to include language in the resolution suggesting the UN agency should have a role also in nuclear disarmament, apparently reflecting frustration on their part at the lack of faster progress on this issue.
This was opposed by a large majority including the United States, Britain, France and Russia – four officially recognized nuclear weapon states – which believe the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is not the right forum for this, they said.
The West accuses Iran of trying to develop a nuclear weapons capability in secret. The Islamic Republic denies the charge.
Tehran often hits out at the United States over its atomic arsenal, and also criticizes Iran’s arch foe, Israel, and that country’s assumed nuclear weapons.
The annual General Conference of the 155 IAEA member states traditionally adopts several resolutions, setting out general and often vaguely worded policy aspirations and guidelines, during a week-long meeting in Vienna.
As in 2011, the most contentious issue was a text regarding the IAEA’s activities in seeking to make sure nuclear material is not diverted for non-peaceful purposes, a crucial task for the UN agency under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Last year, the gathering failed to agree the resolution on “strengthening the effectiveness and improving the efficiency of the safeguards system” submitted by some 30 Western states.
Safeguards refer to measures undertaken by UN inspectors to discover any attempt by non-nuclear weapons states to use atomic technology or material for developing weapons – for example regular visits and camera surveillance of sites.
This year, Iran said a paragraph saying IAEA “safeguards are a fundamental component of nuclear non-proliferation” should be amended to add “and nuclear disarmament.” This was rejected by 55 votes against and nine for. The resolution then passed by 89 for, no vote against and 16 abstentions, including Iran.
Several countries, including South Africa and Brazil, stressed their support for nuclear disarmament even though they voted against the Iranian proposal.
Under the NPT, a 1970 pact, the five recognized atomic bomb “haves” agreed to work toward eliminating their nuclear weapons, and the “have-nots” pledged not to pursue them.
Critics say there has been more emphasis on meeting the non-proliferation goal than getting the five major powers – the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain – to fulfill their part of the deal.
The battle-line has become drawn between Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, and the country’s biggest airlines, Arik.
The war between both camps got messier this morning with the minister dismissing Arik as “a floundering enterprise” that is “groaning from a crippling N85.4 billion debt overhang.” She also denied allegations of conflict of interest made against her by Arik Management, which two days ago blamed their decision to suspend domestic operations on the hostility and unprofessional demands of the minister and some other unnamed ministry officials.
Replying this morning through her Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Joe Obi, the Aviation Minister (shown in photo) said she has started the process of suing Arik. Entitled “Arik Airlines’ Conflict of Interest Allegation Laughable, Diversionary”, the statement said in full:
“The attention of the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, OON, has been drawn to a fabrication credited to the Management of Arik Airlines, to the effect that the Minister demanded a 5 percent equity holding in the airline. The story alleged a Ministry of Aviation hostility against Arik on account of the so-called equity demand that it claimed to have turned down!
“The first impulse is to totally ignore this groundless falsehood. Except that it will send the wrong signals to the general public. Therefore, the sole intent of this release is to put the records straight.
“The 5 percent equity story is without any foundation whatsoever. It is absurd, malicious and ultimately laughable. The Honorable Minister of Aviation could not have contemplated acquiring a stake in any airline, let alone Arik Air that is groaning from a crippling N85.4 billion debt overhang.
“The time is ripe for Arik Air to change its business module that ‘thrives’ on unprecedented accumulation of debts and liabilities. The futile attempt to impugn the integrity of the Aviation Minister by inferring a conflict of interest against her is at best diversionary. It should be obvious to the management of Arik Air that blackmail is not a panacea for a floundering enterprise.
“The Honourable Minister of Aviation has directed her lawyers to seek legal redress for this malicious allegation by Arik Air.”
Governor Peter Obi said necessary measures were being put in place to reduce State vulnerability to environmental and ecological disaster. Governor Obi stated this at a stakeholders meeting and launching of the State Flood, Erosion Control and Water Conservation Technical Guidelines, at J. Jumal Hotel, Awka.
The Governor, who said the State Government was working with the UNDP on the programme, explained that the policy document aimed at providing information on flood Management, techniques and Measures to protect the environment from devastation.
Governor Obi urged the people to be alert and conscious of the official warning from the National Emergency Management Agency on threat of usual flooding which he noted is already manifesting in Ogbaru, Anambra East and West, stressing that communities should take precaution and measures while soliciting for external intervention.
The Governor announced the cancellation of all bids for school projects in various communities and emphasized that henceforth, contracts for school and primary health centre projects in any community will be executed by people from the communities involved. He explained that this will enable government to hold people of the community responsible if anything goes wrong.
The State Chairman, MDGs Implementation Committee and Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Prof. Chinyere Okuna said government decision on contracts would encourage communities to take full ownership of the projects. Prof. Okuna assured that those who have already paid would be refunded their money.
The Transition Committee Chairman, Onitsha North, Mr. Eddy Okosi said Governor Obi administration had remained responsive and is taking necessary measures against impending disaster.
An Environment Consultant, Mr. Austin Nwangwu stressed the need to take preventive measures on erosion through conservative practice and proper collection of flood water from buildings and compounds.
It might surprise some watchers of Anambra State politics to begin to read about Governor Peter Obi’s monument; and for the less endowed in the white man’s language, particularly those of them resident in Anambra State, passion might run wild in defense of the Governor’s current mandate. While the first group might merely be confounded by the speed of time, the second just would not see their Governor and his Government as issues that are at the threshold of history – at the verge of being permanently reported in the past. Why talk of a monument whose making is unfolding still? There is yet a third interest-class; cynics who would bite, claw and shout in efforts to attain their sworn conclusions to emasculate the novel patterns adorning the political space of Anambra State. ‘What monument?’, they would ask. But in all of these dispositions, the reality of passing time and its compelling dictates in sifting the bedrock of history prevails.
Before the end of March, 2014, Governor Peter Obi would have served Anambra State the maximum statutorily allowable period of eight years, representing two terms of four years each. This is an uncommon privilege unprecedented in the State where the political landscape is replete with ‘men and women of timber and calibre’, who in deference to their high sounding (many a time bizarre) aliases, very often jump into a fray merely for the satisfaction of drawing blood. Even in fights they could neither sustain nor win.
Having taken a token look at the peculiarities of Mr. Obi’s Anambra, one begins to appreciate better the value of the Governor’s resilience, doggedness, ruggedness too. How else would one explain Mr. Obi’s stubborn resistance of the monster that President Obasanjo’s the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) foisted on and sought to perpetuate in Anambra State? Indeed, the PDP nausea, exemplified by the stolen mandate, seemed a blessing for Ndigbo as it exposed the post war conspiracy of clannish pretenders who not only sought to subdue Ndigbo physically but to kill their spirit. Even ‘in the very before’ of the totem of Igbo consciousness (apologies to Chika Okpala, Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo Alias 4.30) the people’s mandate was stolen by impostors to the people’s cause.
What would have been left of Ndigbo if Mr. Obi failed to lead the battle for the rescue of the heartland of the Igbo nation? The Governor’s clear headedness, his sublime understanding of the character of the deprivation and his utmost commitment to resistance, made the unyielding Ikemba of blessed memory to declare uncommon support for a young man whom he identified as fighting hegemony against an endangered nation. Mr. Obi stood, fought and conquered the marauding bunch whose resolve was a systematic emasculation of Ndigbo, using Anambra State as a pilot scheme. This early struggle signaled the relevance of Mr. Obi among Ndigbo; added to this is his seminal managing of human and material resources both in governance of Anambra State and in other spheres of leadership wherever duty calls.
Having served Anambra State for over six of an eight years stretch, and judging from the transparent structure of his government, Governor Obi’s scorecard could be reviewed with reasonable degree of accuracy. The indices for measuring success or failure are located in the responsibilities of government and to what extent government fulfills or neglects such duties.
Anambra State is one of the States in Nigeria that hardly go without press reportage. Its prominence derives from its huge pull of human resources and the inputs of Ndi-Anambra, dead or living, in the making and sustenance of the country. But for a greater part of Anambra’s 21 years as a political entity, it recorded greater negative publicity owing to loss of direction among the crop of leaders that ran its affairs. This deviation manifested in the collapse of the system while very few individuals got so robust they could sustain parallel structures that mocked the institution of government. That was why the ‘Eselus’ for instance could boast of installing what served as government in the state between 2003 and 2006, just as the ‘Offors’ did, years earlier.
While the strains over the ownership of government raged, the entire gamut of the responsibilities of the state went prostrate: education was abandoned, the health sector was comatose; there was comprehensive infrastructural decay and unrest of every kind marked the sociopolitical clime of the state. It remained largely so until the unprecedented judiciary intervention that nullified the celebration of absurdities and declared Mr. Obi of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as the authentic governor of the state in March, 2006. From the date of that epochal declaration till date, Anambra State, under Governor Obi, has persisted in its march to recover the lost years and firmly situate itself among the comity of states with both vibrant economy and civilised polity. Pointers to this growth are identifiable in the resuscitation of all the sectors of the State’s economy through the vehicle of Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS), which ensures a comprehensive and effective design, budget and implementation of simultaneous development in all sectors of the state’s economy.
The health sector for instance now has some government as well as private owned hospitals and institutions accredited by relevant censor organisations. Onitsha General Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala; Anambra State School of Nursing and Midwifery, Npor; St. Joseph’s Hospital, Adazi-Nnukwu; Iyi-Enu Hospital, Ogidi and Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha are representational of such interventions in the health sector. The construction and inauguration of Anambra State University Teaching Hospital, Awka, is also a phenomenal entry in the credential of Governor Obi’s government.
The Civil Service has its own gains from the current government of the state. Apart from workers’ increased pay package which compares favourably with what obtains in some rich states, an imposing new State Secretariat (Chief Jerome Udoji State Secretariat) which today represents the pride of Anambra State workers, stands to the credit of this administration which conceived, constructed, equipped and effectively put it to use. Today, the operations of government are run from a single pool of ministries which makes for speed and efficiency. Today, government ministries have necessary enablement like vehicles for optimal performance.
The education sector too has recorded enormous gains from the present State Government. Both primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state have variously benefited from the commitment of the government to sanitise the sector in a bid to preserving the future of the society. Over one hundred and fifty secondary schools have received brand new buses; many more schools have received computers and internet facilities, water boreholes, power generating set, sports equipment and many other items to enhance acquisition of knowledge. School buildings have been reconstructed, new buildings erected and school compounds fenced. Missionary schools forcefully acquired from the owners have been returned to their original owners with grants to facilitate the rehabilitation of dilapidated structures.
If today one seeks the monument of Mr. Peter Obi in Anambra, the new look Anambra State where reputable donor agencies jostle to identify with the success story of Mr. Peter Obi’s administration beckons.
U.S. president Barack Obama appears in his first interview on Al-Arabiya satellite television in 2009.
All the way back in 2009, the newly inaugurated president Obama granted his very first TV interview to the al-Arabiya network.
Speaking to veteran journalist Hisham Melhem, the new president said: “My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy.” As anti-American riots burn from Benghazi to Islamabad, that hope looks distinctly “Mission Unaccomplished.”
In the immediate aftermath of the killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya, the Obama administration insisted that the Sept. 11, 2012 attacks on the U.S. embassy in Cairo and the U.S. consulate in Benghazi were spontaneous responses to a YouTube video clip mocking the Prophet Muhammad. That claim, never very plausible, has by now nearly completely unraveled. (See Eli Lake’s report Friday in the Daily Beast for the latest debunking.)
The attacks look elaborately planned and timed for the 9/11 anniversary. The raising of the black al-Qaeda flag over the walls of the Cairo embassy was a challenge and a defiance — and a brutal repudiation of the hopes expressed in Obama’s own speech in Cairo, delivered three summers ago:
“I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition.”
That new beginning has not arrived. President Obama can claim important national security successes: the killing of Osama bin Laden and much of what remained of the al-Qaeda leadership in Pakistan. But the level of anti-American grievance Obama observed and deplored in 2008-2009 has not abated. If anything, the situation in important Muslim-majority countries like Pakistan and Egypt seems even more dangerous today than when Barack Obama took office. This is not to blame Obama for making things worse. It is to recall to mind the unrealism of his promise to make things better.
That promise was based on a series of assumptions that have one by one been falsified: That the Palestinian issue was the driving cause of Muslim anti-Americanism — and that he could resolve Palestinian grievances by pressing Israel to make concessions; that the anger was somehow caused by President Bush and that it could be alleviated by reversing Bush policies; and — finally — that his own personality and name could somehow reassure Muslims in and of itself.
“I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.”
These words played a variation on the theme that launched Barack Obama’s domestic career. At home, his personal story as the son of a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya symbolized hopes of overcoming America’s racial divides. Might his personal story as an American-Christian descended from East African Muslims achieve a similar resonance abroad?
Now we have the answer, delivered by rocket launchers. No.
Again, this is not to blame Obama. He didn’t make the anti-Americanism, and he faces few easy answers in responding to that anti-Americanism. But it does suggest that greater humility might have been in order back in 2008-2009. And it suggests that the problems faced in the Muslim world today go way deeper than suggested by the glib answer, it’s all about Israel — or all about Bush. The anger goes back way further and lies way deeper. And it probably won’t be allayed by anything much that the United States or Israel or the larger Western world can do. It will be allayed by changes inside the Muslim world — changes that remove the incentives for local power-seekers to agitate mobs with stories about offenses against Islam; changes that reduce the receptiveness of ordinary people to the demagoguery of local power-seekers. Economic development, the advance of education, the rise of forms of Islam that are less political and more spiritual — these are the forces that will bring change. They’ll be slow. And they are bigger than any one man, no matter how unusual his life story; how eloquent his tongue; or how grand his self-image.
Re: “A Bill For A Law To Provide For The Raising of Loans Through The Issuance of Bonds, Notes and Other Securities and For Connected Purposes.
Mr. Speaker,
It is with great sense of responsibility and in the spirit of patriotism that we write to you and the House members on this burning issue bothering on the financial health of our great state, Ogun.
We need to state here that, of particular concern to us is the bill sent to this Honourable House by the Executive arm of government on the above subject with a view to assessing the financial market to raise some financial instruments, ostensibly to drive developments of infrastructure.
We state unequivocally that apart from the fact that the motive behind the said bill could not be in the best interest of the people of Ogun State, it may not to represent nor capture the goodwill of a great number of our people.
Our fears on this bill are premise on:
1) The fact that the bill seems to be providing the governor, what we can call, a Blank Cheque on the finances of Ogun State
2) Appointment of Trustees: the bill seem to have vested too much power on the Executive arm of government; and in other words made the Governor the ‘sole’ decider on what amount to be accessed, where to access, what project(s) to be executed etc.
3) Sinking Fund. What percentage?: We are of the opinion that before going ahead to give a blanket approval to this bill, members of this hollowed chamber should be interested in knowing what is the current state of finance of the State. Granted that a 15 per cent is to be set aside from the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) into a Sinking Fund, what is the current IGR of the State? How did they arrive at the percentage? This would enable the House to take critical decision about whether such might even be adequate to defray whatever that is ‘borrowed’. It is also instructive to note that in view of the prevailing possible ‘reversals’ of preceding administration’s economic policies, that honourable members should emphasise the total repayment of any sums or financial instrument so accessed should be defrayed within the life of the administration which accessed them where possible.
4) What projects? What are the rates of return? Tenor of payment?
We are particularly bothered about the nature of this request to access financial instrument without being project-specific. I think if the people of Ogun State are going to be committed to any form of financial indebtedness, notwithstanding the nature and circumstance, it would have been fair for them to know what their money is going to be spent on; what is the rate of returns on such projects (i.e. Do they have the capacity to pay back on such financial commitments) and over what length (or period) of time?
Honourable members of the House of Assembly, we feel you owe several generations of Ogun State citizens a sacred duty to serve as the custodian of their trust in good conscience by raising fundamental questions which would protect the citizens from abuse by the executive arm of government.
Distinguished honourables, Ladies and Gentlemen, with specific reference to the bill in question, we will like to call the attention of the House to:
Sections: 2, 3(4), 4 (1) (2) (3), 5(1), 10, 11(1)
of the ‘Bill’
Schedule to Section (1) (2) (3) (5), and (7).
On Appointment of Trustee (sec 5 (1) ) states:
“The Commissioner subject to the approval of the Execuitve Council may appoint a registered trustee company, or any reputable bank or reputable insurance company for the purpose of acting on behalf of instrument holders with regard to every loan raised under the Law provided that a Trustee appointed under this Rule shall not have any fiduciary relationship with the Government”.
Meanwhile, the same ‘Bill’ defines ‘Commissioner’ (line 35-37) as:
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner for the time being charged with the responsibilty for matters relating to Finance in Ogun State.
And
“Executive Council” to mean “the Executive Council of the Ogun State Government, comprising the Governor and such other officials as are invited into the Council by the Governor”.
However, the executive has proposed in section 10 on;
Power to raise loans:
“The GOVERNMENT is authorised through the Office with the approval of the EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (kindly note the emphasis in capital letters) and subject to the provisions of this Law to raised loans for both economic and social development purposes”
Section 11, Issuance of Bonds, etc reads:
“The Office with the approval of the Executive Council and subject to the provisions of this Law is authorized to do the following:
(a)Issue instrument or any other forms of debt securities …”
From the bill, the Governor is to decide which project to be executed, decides who the contractor should be, negotiate how much the project will cost, establish Sinking Fund and singularly decide what goes into it, appoints the ‘Commissioner’ who is to appoint the trustees (meaning that the governor appoints the Trustee). We should therefore be worried that if this were to be so, why then is the need for House of assembly in Ogun State? Or what should be the oversight functions of the law makers, as it relates to the finances of the state?
If this bill is passed without amendment, it may promote Executive recklessness. Too much power vested in a single individual has the potential of being abused. Simply put, “power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
OUR POSITION:
On section 3 (4) , The House of Assembly may at the request of the Executive Council upwardly revise the proportion of revenue to be set aside for the government’s debt repayment purpose.
Our question, why should the review only be upward? We think honourable members of the House should be allowed to use their discretion in this regard. Else, we may simply then ask: why do we need the House?
On appointment of Trustee: Section 5(1).
We are of an opinion that the power to appoint, punish and terminate the appointment of Trustee should not be vested on the commissioner or the EXECUTIVE only. For continuity, transparency and in line with the doctrine of checks and balances, we propose the following in addition to some other steps in the bill:
1)The establishment of Board to oversee the Sinking Fund as well as the management of Consolidated Debt Service Account (section 3(1). The bill seems silent on the management of this special Account.
II)That the power to appoint, review and terminate should be vested in a legally constituted Board.
We propose that a ‘Board’ for this purpose should be constituted, which would comprise the following:
1) The Commissioner for finance – As the Chairman
2) Permanent Secretary or a Director , Ministry of Finance
3) Permanent secretary or a Director, Bureau of Budget and Planning.
3) Permanent Secretary or a Director, Ministry of Justice
4) Permanent Secretary or head of Debt Management Office (DMO)
5) Permanent Secretary or a representative of the Head of Service, and
6) Chairman, House Committee on Finance.(As the house may deem fit)
III) This must be allowed to pass through due process ( the position must be advertised in 2 Nigerian national news papers)
III) House of Assembly must approve the appointment and termination of appointment
On section 10, Power to raise loans:
With this bill, the governor seems to be requesting for what we call an open cheque from the State House of Assembly. We need to be careful here. Is there any law like this in Nigeria? We need to ask ourselves this all-important question: is there any law like this in Nigeria? We are of a view that the State must revert to the House for specific approval whenever there is need to access any financial instrument. The specific amount to be accessed, must be clearly stated and on what such fund is to be expended.
With the hope that Section 10 (power to raise loans) will get the blessing of the House, the bill went further to now states in Section 11 that “Office” ( or the Governor, at least from the context of the bill) IS AUTHORISED!!! Authorised to issue loan/bond/ any instrument without revert to the HOUSE? Honourable members of Ogun State House of Assembly, we appeal to you not to look at this bill from a party point of view, let us play down who the governor is, let the interest of our state override our political or party loyalty. This section must be amended. This section can easily be abused and will make the oversight function of this House difficult.
Finally, on Section 10 and 11, we would like to refer the House to the submission by Micheal Orimobi titled “The issuance of state government bonds in Nigeria –an overview”. This cover the legal basis, the regulators’ Roles & Impact, Structuring a state Government bond etc
We quote:
‘There is a cap on the amount of debt a Sub-national can raise via bonds or any other means; the total loan portfolio of a State at any particular time must not exceed 50% of the revenue generated in the previous year – proviso to Section 223(1) of the ISA. Loans in this context include bank loans, external debts arrangements, bonds, etc. By way of example, if a Sub-national’s current outstanding loan portfolio is N20 billion and the preceding year’s income was N100 billion. The amount that can be raised via bonds cannot exceed N30 billion, as a N30 billion bond issuance exercise will bring the total loan portfolio to N50 billion, which is 50% of the previous year’s revenue.”’
We hope this system of Consolidated Account and or Sinking fund, 15% etc were not copied from a particular State in Nigeria. The government did not tell us what their projection is, what they want to commit the state to etc. Anyway, we believe that the House will look into this area before passing the law.
We urge our State Assembly to take very much care. You are the ambassador of your people; it will be ridiculous for us as a State that our esteemed and noble House of Assembly is caught in the web of passing a law that runs contrary to Nigerian Law. We urge you both individually and collectively to remember your name and our tomorrow.
Thank you.
God bless Ogun State!
God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria!!.
CC:
Members of Ogun State House of Assembly
Head of Service, Ogun State
Media
State Director, Department of State Security
Commissioner of Police, Ogun State
