Read 21 Minister designates Buhari submits to the Senate

Ministerial list: Buhari submits 21 names • Fashola, Amaechi, Ngige, Onu, Aisha Alhassan, Fayemi, Malami Abubakar, Kachikwu make list

OCTOBER 1, 2015 : OUR CORRESPONDENTS 

 

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, receiving the ministerial nominees on Wednesday
| credits: http://www.olufamous.com/

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday received the ministerial nominees list at about 4:56pm from the Presidency but said the content of the presidential communication would be read on Tuesday.

The Senate had adjourned plenary at 2:00pm on Wednesday till Tuesday, October 6.

Sources said 21 names were contained in the list.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, in company with the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate),   Ita Enang, delivered the list in a sealed envelope to the Senate President in his office.

Saraki, who left the office around 5:30pm, later spoke to journalists through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, explaining that the list would be read on the floor during plenary Tuesday next week.

“The Senate president received the ministerial list around 5:00pm this evening but no action would be taken on it until next week Tuesday. The envelope is still sealed,” Olaniyonu told journalists.

But The PUNCH learnt that a former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; and a former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, made the list.

Also said to be on the list are Kayode Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State; a former Governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige; and a one-time Governor of Abia State, Ogbonaya Onu.

Malami Abubakar, SAN, a former National Legal Adviser to the defunct Congress for Progressives Change; Aisha Alhassan, a former governorship candidate of the APC in Taraba State; and Amina Mohammed, a special adviser to the Secretary-General of the United nations, Ban Ki-Moon, also made the ministerial list. Same for a former finance commissioner in Ogun State, Kunle Adeosun.

Curiously, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ibe Kachikwu, is said to be on the list, perhaps to combine his headship of the NNPC with junior petroleum minister. portfolio. Buhari has already announced himself as the substantive Minister of Petroleum.

The President had pledged that his ministerial nominees would be submitted to the Senate for screening and approval before the end of September thus raising fears on Wednesday that Buhari had failed to keep his promise to Nigerians.

Also, the Senate had earlier on Wednesday announced that the President had yet to send the list of ministers.

The Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Dino Melaye, who addressed journalists shortly after the Senate had adjourned to Tuesday next week, however urged Nigerians not to lose hope because the September deadline given by Buhari would not expire until midnight.

Melaye had said, “We want to announce that we are still waiting for the ministerial list from Mr. President and I want to advise that there is no need for agitation as September expires by 12 midnight today (Wednesday).

“We want to assure Nigerians that as soon as we get possession of this list we will communicate same to Nigerians through the National Assembly Press Corps.”

He had also reiterated his earlier statement that the Senate “will attend to the ministerial nominees expeditiously but diligently, once the list was sent by the President.”

“Due process will be followed and I repeat that it is not going to be business as usual; we are going to properly screen all nominees and only those who meet the constitutional and moral requirements shall be cleared,” he had added.

Melaye explained that the Senate would as from next week start the consideration of all the communication earlier presented to it by the President concerning some appointments made while the Senate was on recess.

Buhari had on Tuesday sent a letter to the Senate, seeking the confirmation of the appointment of Prof. Umaru Garba Danbatta as the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, for a first term of five years.

Buhari in another letter sought the confirmation of the appointment of Dr. William Babatunde Fowler as Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Board for a four-year term while in another letter, the President sought the confirmation of the appointment of the Managing Director and three executive directors for the Assets Management Company of Nigeria.

The nominees are Kuru as Managing Director; Kola Ayeye, Eberechukwu Uneze and Aminu Ismail as executive directors.

However, the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, had during plenary on Tuesday expressed concern that the Senate president did not read out the list of ministerial nominees despite the fact that newspapers had reported that it was in the Senate.

Akpabio, who had raised a point of order, citing order 14, also noted that the situation became worrisome in view of the fact that the September 30 deadline promised by Buhari would lapse on Wednesday.

But Akpabio’s argument had been countered by the Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, who explained that the list could still be sent before midnight on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District, Prof. Olusola Adeyeye, was on Wednesday announced as the Senate Chief Whip by Saraki.

Adeyeye was unanimously endorsed by the South-West caucus of the All Progressives Congress in the red chamber on June 24.

His name was on the list of principal officers approved by the APC leadership as contained in a letter addressed to the Senate president by the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie – Oyegun, on June 23.

Gani Adams tears Governor Amosun apart on secession claims !

Governor Amosun is hallucinating  on secession claim - Gani Adams 

POSTED BY SEGUN ADEBOWALE ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 

In a statement on Wednesday, Otunba Adams described the statement credited to Amosun alleging that the OPC and other militias had secessionist tendencies as “hopelessly unfortunate, frivolous in intention and an act which is very undignified of the personality of a South -West Governor”

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The National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, Otunba Gani Adams, has cautioned the Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibukunle Amosun, against making frivolous allegations against ethnic militias in Nigeria.
In a statement on Wednesday, Otunba Adams described the statement credited to Amosun alleging that the OPC and other militias had secessionist tendencies as “hopelessly unfortunate, frivolous in intention and an act which is very undignified of the personality of a South -West Governor”.
Otunba Adams pointed out: “I would have ignored the comment as the ranting of an ant but coming out from the mouth of a Yoruba personality and a Governor of a state in Yorubaland who is supposed to know the import and magnitude of secession to the sovereignty and unity of Nigeria, then I have to make our stand clear and clean.
“To show that the statement is not only shameful and unexpected, but a brazen act of blackmail, which is totally false in concept and malicious, is the fact that for the past 12 years, OPC has not done anything or embarked on any act that is secessionist in nature.
“We have not either through act or deed, nor through spoken words or press release made mention of secession or break up of this country. It is thus surprising where the Executive Governor of Ogun State came about his so called ‘secessionist tendencies’ of OPC.
“Governor Amosun must be hallucinating or coming from a bad dream, for I don’t know where he came about his allegation of secession or felony and OPC.
“It is a criminal libel for Governor Amosun to label OPC as a secessionist group. We are a socio-cultural group determined to protect the territorial-cultural integrity of Yoruba people within the confines of a truly Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is why I participated in the National Confab with resolve for Regionalism not breaking up of the country.
“It is sad that people like Governor Amosun who were hiding their heads and carousing under the comfort of their families during the (late General Sani) Abacha tenure of terror when we were fighting for the reestablishment of democracy in Nigeria are the ones reaping where they did not sow.
“We don’t even begrudge them for this but they are now assaulting our integrity with aggressive and intimidating verbal cholera to project us who were in the trenches as felonists and secessionists.
“I hereby call on Governor Amosun to look for better and presentable onions to sell and position himself for national recognition and respect instead of telling brazen lies and outright falsehood against OPC.
“I expected him to read the statement of the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Segun Mimiko, who publicly testified to the confidence in the conduct and protection of the OPC members to even the police. That is a statement from a culturally responsible Governor who appreciates and values the essence of OPC in Yorubaland.
“I am not disappointed in him. It is the effect of what they called folio de grandeur, stupidity of greatness. But he should remember that Governor’s tenure is temporal but Yoruba race and its development will outlive him.”
Otunba Adams appealed to members of the OPC not to be demoralized by the “reckless statement of Governor Amosun, which must have been a product of hallucination and frustration, which is not supposed to be misplaced on us.”

DSS screens Buhari’s ministerial nominees

SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 : ADELANI ADEPEGBA AND JOHN ALECHENU 

Director-General, Department of State Security, Lawal Daura,

The Department of State Services has commenced the screening of ministerial nominees sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari, The PUNCH has learnt on Wednesday.

It was gathered that no fewer than 20 nominees had been vetted by the DSS operatives since the exercise started.

The President was said to have sent to the agency a total of 36 names of would be ministers for security checks.

The identities of the nominees were top secret as of Wednesday.

The President had indicated in a chat with journalists in Accra, Ghana, on Monday that he would keep his promise of announcing names of his ministers this month.

Investigations showed that the screening process by the DSS involved conducting background checks on the careers of the nominees and operatives were also checking for records of the nominees with anti-graft and security agencies.

One of our correspondents gathered that people on the list included mainly those who worked with Buhari when he was in the military and during his stint as the chairman of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund.

The DSS could not be reached for comment on Wednesday as it had yet to appoint a spokesperson.

‘Security screening not public’

When asked if the Presidency had directed security agencies to vet ministerial nominees, the Special Adviser (Media) to the President, Femi Adesina, simply replied via a text message, “Security screening is naturally a behind-the-scenes matter, thanks.”

Top ranking members of the governing All Progressives Congress have also refrained from speaking about ministerial appointment by Buhari.

One of the APC leaders, who asked not to be named, said, “The truth is that the President is someone who believes in due process.”

“His choice of Daura (Lawal Daura), a member of the old guard, as the DG DSS should tell you something; even those contacted for screening know that any leak of information traced to them could ruin their chances,” the source added.

The National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun, has been out of Abuja for almost one week.

Calls to his mobile phone indicated that it was switched off.

Repeated calls to the mobile telephone number of the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Lai Mohammed, were neither picked nor returned as of the time of filing this report.

The ministerial list is yet to be forwarded to the Senate as it is still undergoing security screening.

The President, in an interview he granted the Hausa Service of the BBC on Tuesday, had given a hint about what influenced the appointments he had so far.

He had said, “If I choose people who I know quite well in my political party, people whom we came (together) all the way right from the All Paeoples Party, Congress for Progressive Change and the APC and we have remained together through good and trying times, what then is the reward for such dedication and suffering? They did not defect because of positions; they did not involve themselves in the pursuit of personal gains.”

Such considerations are also likely to influence his choice of ministers, sources indicated.

It will be recalled that Buhari had in July said his cabinet would be made known in September.

The President, in an article published in Washington Post on July 19, said it would neither be prudent nor serve the interests of sound judgment for him to have formed his cabinet immediately he was inaugurated on May 29.

He said it was necessary for the country to first put new rules of conduct and good governance in place before he could make critical appointments into his government.

The article was published ahead of his historic meeting with President Barack Obama of United States in July.

He said it was noteworthy that Obama did not have his full cabinet in place for several months after first taking office.

He said the US did not cease to function in the interim despite that delay.

“When cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will be some months after I took the oath of office. It is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full cabinet in place for several months after first taking office; the United States did not cease to function in the interim,” he had said.

Tinubu, Akande meet Buhari after Obasanjo’s visit

SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 : NIYI ODEBODE AND ENIOLA AKINKUOTU 

Akande, Buhari and Tinubu.

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and a former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, held a secret meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.

The visit came less than 24 hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo met with Buhari.

Addressing State House correspondents after the one-hour meeting, Tinubu, who is a former Governor of Lagos State, said he did not come to submit any ministerial list to the President.

“What can I do about that, they have the right to speculate, they have the right to their lies and I have the right to debunk,” he said.

However, a reliable source told one of our correspondents that the ministerial list was one of the topics discussed at the meeting.

The source said just as Tinubu was given the power to pick Buhari’s running mate during the electioneering, Buhari was giving him the privilege of filling some positions that should go to the South-West.

He said, “Buhari never marginalised the South-West as is being reported. Most of the northern appointments that Buhari made are those that will work closely with him in the villa and Tinubu was not really interested in them.

“It was Tinubu that recommended Babatunde Fowler to head the Federal Inland Revenue Service and that is the next best thing after oil which many people don’t understand.

“Buhari has insisted that people that are answering to cases of corruption will not be part of his government and Tinubu is aware of this. He has recommended a former commissioner in Lagos for appointment too and he will be part of Buhari’s economic team even if he is not appointed as a minister.”

When asked how many ministerial slots Buhari had given Tinubu, the source said he could not say for sure but added that Buhari was planning to compensate Tinubu for losing out to Senate President Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara during the National Assembly internal elections

He added, “Every state is expected to produce a minister and we already know that there will be some issues with some stubborn state governors. So, if Tinubu loses out at the ministerial level, he will be made to nominate the chairman of some parastatals and government agencies.”

When asked to explain why Tinubu and Akande chose to visit Buhari just a day after Obasanjo, the source said, “It was purely coincidental. Buhari is travelling out of the country tomorrow (today) and Tinubu wanted to tidy up some things before the President’s departure.”

Meanwhile, Tinubu has dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party’s allegations of dictatorship levelled against President Buhari.

Tinubu, in an interview with State House correspondents said the PDP should be quiet, if it did not have anything to say.

The former governor stated that the PDP created the rot that Buhari was cleaning, adding that the rot could not be swept under the carpet.

The PDP governors, after a meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Tuesday said Nigeria was sliding into dictatorship under the leadership of Buhari.

Defending the President, Tinubu said, “What is dictatorship about what he has done? He has helped to stimulate the economy in the various states and that is where the people are. So what is dictatorship? And the institutional paralysis had occurred in the country.

“It is very important for a steady man like the President to really help the nation recover from the paralysis and that is what he is doing so I don’t see what is dictatorial about that. If they don’t have anything to say, they rather be quiet. They created what is wrong here today and we can’t sweep that under the carpet. There must be rule of law.”

He also denied a claim that he went to the Presidential Villa to submit the ministerial list to Buhar, saying, “What can I do about that, they have the right to speculate, they have the right to their lies and I have the right to debunk.”

The APC leader said that there was no power struggle between him and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar

“Our party is not even looking at the direction of power struggle or anything of such. The support structure is to encourage and support the President as you have heard from Chief Bisi Akande, to help him institutionalize his goal, principle and vision for a new Nigeria,” Tinubu stated.

He defended Buhari against criticisms that trailed his delay in releasing ministerial list, adding that there was a pitfall in rushing.

Tinubu stated, “Rush can cascade into mistakes of unimaginable magnitude. There is equally glory and recovery in slowness, when you have a slow fix of a bad foundation. So to me, I would rather take the one that will last the country and endeavour for a longer period of time than the rush hour shopping.”

Also speaking ,Akande, who was at the meeting, said the President “inherited piles of rot.” He said that they discussed the rot the PDP left for it was defeated.

I am having interesting experience as Senate President —Sarak

I am having interesting experience as Senate President —Saraki

September 9, 2015

Written by: 

Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja

  SENATE President Bukola Saraki said on Wednesday that he was having a time of his life as Senate President of the country so far.

The Senate President who stated this after a tour of the National Assembly complex said that his experience since assumption of office three months ago has been both interesting and challenging.

He told newsmen after the tour that he was happy with his job.

The Senate President spoke to reporters after his official tour of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, the first of such tour to be embarked upon by any Senate President since 1992, when the National Assembly moved to its present location.

He said: “It is interesting and challenging but I think what is rewarding about it is the support from one’s colleagues and the enthusiasm from some of the members of staff of the National Assembly. Also, similar support from Nigerians from all walks of life and the international community.”

Saraki told newsmen that the familiarisation tour was meant to allow him and the principal officers of the Upper Chamber have on-the-spot assessment of the environment so as to make for understanding of issues and challenges being faced by both staff and management of the National Assembly.

He further said: “The Assembly complex represents the image of the National Assembly. So, it is important for us to see what the issues are and have an understanding of the environment. Unless you go round and have a first hand understanding, sometimes, it is difficult to understand what the issues and challenges are, including the members of staff, their conditions, productivity and all that. By the time I go round; I will have a better understanding.”

A statement by his media office also quoted the senate President as saying that: “By and large I think for an institution like this and over the many years of its existence as well as the number of staff, I think the maintenance is generally acceptable.”

The Senate President added: “I think, of course, there is still area of improvement here and there, considering the number of people here, people that are coming in and out. I think there are some areas that again, particularly key areas of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Research.

Saraki said: “There is a general desire to make the country proud with what we are doing here and I think we all have to keep to the promises we have made to all Nigerians that we will do our best to connect with Nigerians and let Nigerians appreciate that we are here to serve and to work for the good of this country.”

The statement quoted the areas he visited as including the Offices of the Clerk and Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Foreign Affairs Office of the Senate, the Senate Press Centre, the Police Station, State Security Service (SSS), Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms, Senate’s Tea Room, Hansard Reporters section, National Assembly Television and Radio Studio, Clinic, Library, the Nigeria Police and Defence Liaison Offices.

Others are the Procurement, Estate and Works Directorate, Corporate Services Directorate, Personnel Department, Offices of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Assembly Station of the Nigeria Fire Service, Dental and Eye Clinics, Legal Department, Finance and Accounts Directorate and the Canteen.

Buhari inherited a country that cannot pay workers’ salaries —Oshiomhole

Buhari inherited a country that cannot pay workers’ salaries —Oshiomhole

September 9, 2015

Written by: 

Soji Eze Fagbemi and Collins Nnabuife -Abuja

  Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari came into office when the country was unable to pay workers’ salaries.

He made this known in Abuja, while commissioning the N1.3 billion Medical and Health Workers' Union of Nigeria complex.

The Edo State governor, while lamenting the deteriorating status of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), noted that the congress lost some grounds over the last couple of years.

According to him, “you (NLC president) inherited an NLC that has lost a lot of public goodwill, just as President Buhari inherited a country which, at a point, cannot even afford to pay salaries.”

He further noted that even when oil was sold at $140 per barrel, which later dropped to $108 per barrel, some states were still unable to pay workers salaries.

His words: “With oil selling at $140 per barrel down to an average of $108 per barrel, just a little shock in oil price, almost 50 per cent of the states could not pay salaries. That is the kind of economy  President Buhari inherited.

Oshiomhole, however, expressed optimism that with the cooperation and support of the organised labour, President Buhari would  bail Nigeria out, making it a country that would provide comfort  for its citizens.

The complex, located at Durumi in Abuja, was named after the current NLC president and also the immediate past president of the Medical and Health Workers' Union of Nigeria, Comrade Ayuba Wabba.

Speaking on the occasion, the president of NLC, Comrade Wabba, noted that the structure was built solely by the union without levying its members.

Comrade Wabba, who was the initiator of the project, further stated that the union did not get support from the government directly or indirectly to erect the structure.

Shake-up in navy, 5 flag officers appointed, 61 officers moved

Shake-up in navy, 5 flag officers appointed, 61 officers moved

September 9, 2015

Written by: 

Chris Agbambu – Abuja

Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-EteIbas

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-EteIbas, has approved the redeployment of 61 senior officers of flag ranks in the Nigerian Navy. The appointments affected 28 Rear Admirals and 33 Commodores.

According to a statement in Abuja, on Wednesday, by the Director of Naval Information; Rear Admiral SU Chinweuba, formerly Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard, Lagos, is now Chief of Naval Engineering, Naval Headquarters; Rear Admiral PA Agba, formerly Chief of Logistics, is now Chief of Naval Transformation; Admiral JA Ajani moves from Defence Headquarters to Naval Doctrine and Assessment Centre as Admiral Superintendent while Rear Admiral SI Alade, formerly Chief of Naval Transformation, moves to the National Defence College as Commandant.

Also affected are Rear Admiral AA Dacosta who moves from Defence Headquarters to Naval Headquarters as Chief of Naval Safety and Standards; Rear Admiral KB Ati-John is the new Director of Plans, Naval Headquarters; Rear Admiral BA Egbedina moves to Defence Headquarters as Chief of Administration from Naval Training Command where he was Flag Officer Commanding; Rear Admiral MM Salami is now the Director of Policy, Naval Headquarters and Rear Admiral OC Medani, formerly Chief of Training and Operations, is now Director, Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate.

Also deployed are Rear Admiral GA Anyankpele, formerly Chief of Administration, now Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters; Rear Admiral HH Babalola, former Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, now Chief of Training and Operations at the Naval Headquarters; while Rear Admiral EG Ofik is now the Flag Officer Commanding, Logistics Command.

The redeployment also affected Rear Admiral AL Akintola, who is now the Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard, Lagos; Rear Admiral JKZ Ango, formerly Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, now Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters; Rear Admiral JD Michika resumes at Defence Headquarters as Director of Logistics; Rear Admiral JO Okojie, formerly Admiral Superintendent, Naval Ordinance Depot, moves to Defence Headquarters as Director of Plans.

Similarly, Rear Admiral JO Oluwole resumes as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Navy Holdings Limited; Rear Admiral AA Osinowo moves from the Defence Headquarters to Naval Training Command as Flag Officer Commanding, and Rear Admiral AS Abdulkadir is now the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command.

Also affected are Rear Admiral RO Osondu, formerly Admiral Superintendent, Naval Doctrine and Assessment Centre, is now the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command; while Rear Admiral AO Odeh, formerly Managing Director, Naval Engineering Services Limited, will now resume at the Naval Shipyard Limited as Admiral Superintendent.

Rear Admiral UE Essien resumes at the Naval Headquarters as Director of Operations from the Defence Headquarters; Rear Admiral SO Paul resumes as Admiral Superintendent, Naval Ordinance Depot; Rear Admiral AO Suleiman, formerly Chief Staff Officer at Naval Training Command, is now the Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Other senior officers affected included Rear Admiral BEE Ibe-Enwo, Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji; Rear Admiral SAG Abbah, Director of Logistics, Defence Intelligence Agency; Rear Admiral T Dick, Director of Training, Defence Headquarters and Rear Admiral DO Ajatoye, Commandant, Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele, Delta State.

Outage disrupts Senate power probe •Committee alleges sabotage, vows to investigate

Outage disrupts Senate power probe •Committee alleges sabotage, vows to investigate

September 9, 2015

•We lose N20bn monthly –Investors

Written by: 

Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja

  THE power probe the Senate ad hoc committee on power suffered a setback on Wednesday, as power outages persistently disrupted the investigative hearing.

The committee had kicked off a two-day investigative hearing on Tuesday, ahead of a planned public hearing on the state of power supply in the country.

But the Wednesday’s sitting suffered several power outages, which disrupted presentations by critical stakeholders.

Power went out at least eight times, in 10 to 15 minutes interval, leading to the resort to usage of rechargeable lamps, torchlights and telephone camera lights.

The presentation of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali and that of the committee chairman, Senator Abubakar Kyari, were interrupted by the power outages, just as other critical stakeholders, including the Director-General of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Ezreal Dikki; chairman of National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr Sam Amadi and some of the managing directors of electricity distribution companies (DISCOs).

Many of the dignitaries were frustrated as the source of power was intermittently changing from generators to public power and, at a time, many resorted to improvised illumination like rechargeable lamps.

A frustrated chairman of the investigative committee, Kyari, said the lawmakers suspected sabotage and that the senators would investigate the cause of the incessant disruptions.

The Wednesday session had started at 11.30 a.m. but ended about 4.00 p.m., after no fewer than eight interruptions due to power outage.

Igali suffered the most, as his presentation was severally disrupted. He was making a submission on behalf of the various electricity companies.

Others that suffered similar fate included the Director-General of BPE, chairman of NERC and some of the managing directors of Discos as well as Senator Kyari.

Kyari told newsmen after the sitting on Wednesday that the committee would investigate the cause of the series of outages during the session.

“The power outages experienced here today further underscores the relevance of this committee at this critical time, but we shall investigate whether they are deliberate or not,” he said, adding that the planned public hearing on the power sector would soon hold.

In his submission, the Managing Director of Enugu Distribution Company, Mr Robert Dickerman, who spoke on behalf of the Discos said the companies were losing the sum of N20 billion on a monthly basis.

He stated that power investors in the country were running at huge losses due to a variety of factors.

According to him, the power sector was burdened by a huge deficit of N20 billion per month, as a result of the non-metering of over 50 per cent electricity consumers, while another 30 per cent of consumers were not on the billing system of electricity providers.

He also alleged that the Federal Government was yet to pay the N100 billion subsidy injection promised the sector.

His submission was corroborated by the Chief Executive Officer of Ibadan Electricity Generating Company, Adeoye Fagbembi, who spoke on behalf of the six generating companies (Gencos).

He said the losses being incurred by the Gencos and electricity distributors had been a big issue.

Director General of the BPE, Benjamin Dikki, however, said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had paid N5 billion out of the N100 billion promised by the Federal Government.

He also agreed that the sector was presently being run at a loss by the investors.

Dikki said the initial hiccups were, however, envisaged by the Bureau, adding that such challenges were embedded in the performance agreement reached with the investors.

Amadi said that the allegations that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) would  soon be privatised by the Federal Government was false.

The NERC chairman insisted that the government had no plans to sell the TCN as a result of the sensitivity of that particular component of the power sector.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Kyari, reacted to reports of the amount spent on the power sector since 1999, as reported in the newspaper on Wednesday.

He said the final figurew would be more than N2.7 trillion quoted by the media as, according to him, only the Ministry of Power and the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) submitted the amount which totalled N2.7 trillion.

He said the committee would arrive at the final figure when all agencies concerned had submitted their report of expenses.

Army warns against paying for recruitment  

Published on September 9, 2015 by pmnews   ·   

Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Buratai

The Nigerian Army (NA) has warned interested applicants in the recruitment for the 74 Regular Recruits Intake for trades/non-tradesmen and women to beware of the activities of fraudsters.

The warning was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, on behalf of the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman.

It urged the public to be wary of the activities of individual or groups demanding money in exchange for job offers into the Nigerian Army.

It said the warning became necessary following the uncovering of the activities of a syndicate who specialised in defrauding the public in the guise of offering slots to join the Army.

“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to activities of fraudsters demanding money from applicants of the 74 Regular Recruits Intake for trades/non-tradesmen and women.

“The fraudsters had disseminated bulk SMS to mobile phones instructing applicants to pay the sum of N85,000 as processing fee.

“Another fraudster posing as a police officer at Umuahia had demanded the sum of N200,000 to sign the recruitment form for an applicant.

“The NA wishes to state that the processing of application forms into the army is free of charge, applicants are advised to log on to www.narecruitment.org to process their application forms.”

It said while effort was on-going to track and apprehend the fraudulent syndicates, the public should note that the Army never charged money for whatever reasons.

The statement advised the public to report any person or group parading as agents of NA for the on-going recruitment to the nearest Nigerian Army Unit or police station.

Australia to take 12,000 refugees  

Published on September 9, 2015 by pmnews   ·   

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott

Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, said on Wednesday that his country would take in 12,000 Syrian refugees as settlers.

He added that Australia would also provide 44 million Australian dollars (about 32 million US dollars) in humanitarian aid to them.

“The 12,000 Syrian refugees will be accepted as permanent settlers in Australia and on top of the 13,750 refugees already scheduled to be taken in this year.

“This is a very significant increase in Australia’s humanitarian intake and it is a generous response to the current emergency,” Abbott said.

The government had been pressured by church groups and some of its own members to prioritise Christian refugees, but Abbott said the refugees would come from all persecuted minorities.

He said, ‘’the refugees will come from persecuted minorities fleeing the Syria and Iraq conflict who are in camps run by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon.

“Our focus is on the persecuted minorities who have been displaced and are very unlikely ever to be able to go back to their original homes.”

Abbot also said that Australia would join coalition forces bombing Islamic State targets inside Syria.

Australia has six F/A-18 Hornet fighter-bombers attacking Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and they will now join US-led aerial forces in airstrikes on IS targets inside Syria.

Abbott said that IS needed to be degraded and destroyed wherever they were.