NIGERIA TRIBUNE NEWS

Corruption: There’ll be no sacred cow -Jonathan

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Tuesday, 06 September 2011

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has vowed that his administration will not shield any corrupt person from investigation or prosecution by the anti-graft agencies in the country.
The president, who gave the assurance on Monday, at the opening ceremony of the 8th national seminar on economic crimes holding at the Training and Research Institute of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja, promised that government would continue to support and encourage the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies to confront the monster of corruption more decisively  and charged them to spare no culprit regardless of his status or position.
“We will give all the necessary support and encouragement to all the anti-ccorruption agencies to vigorously enforce the enabling anti-corruption laws. I urge these agencies to do their work fairly but firmly within the ambit of the law without regard to position or status. There shall be no sacred cow. This government will not protect any so-called sacred cow. The wheel of justice must run its full course in tackling anti-corruption cases.”
Jonathan, who was represented at the event by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, said that his government was committed to fighting graft and saving the nation the horrific effects of corruption.
According to him, ”I congratulate the EFCC for the results recorded so far. I urge the commission not to rest on its oars for the job ahead is daunting but surmountable. There are still huge stolen assets left unrecovered abroad in safe havens. The commission must work hard in collaboration with the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the designated central authority to recover and return those funds.
“Government appreciates the peculiar challenges facing anti-graft agencies. It will do everything possible within the law to facilitate the work of the agencies. At this juncture, I would like to specially congratulate the chairperson, Mrs Farida Waziri, for the tremendous achievements she has been making during this period. Billions of dollars and naira have been retrieved. You must continue with the good work and we shall continue to give you all the support.
“It is important to stress that fighting corruption is our collective burden. Every person pays the cost of corruption directly or indirectly. The lack of power, that bad road, that hospital without drugs and basic medical facilities, that dilapidated school, that borehole that bore no water, all of which huge sums have been expended are the costs of corruption we all pay and will continue to pay if we do not stand up and confront the monster.
“All well-meaning Nigerians must, therefore, not only say no to corruption but also do something about it. Every little effort counts; whistle blowing, vigilance in budget implementation and projects monitoring, calling public officers to account; all go a long way towards assisting the anti-corruption effort. The historic signing of the Freedom of Information Bill into Law in 2011 has provided citizens with a veritable instrument to contribute to strengthening accountability and transparency in the public sector.
“The private sector equally has a big role to play. There can be no successful corruption in the public sector without connivance and collaboration with the private sector. Therefore, multinationals and private businesses must adopt and implement transparency codes and hold their officials to account for all financial dealings. Bribe increases the cost of projects astronomically, hinders global competitiveness and is a major disincentive to investments. We must, therefore, work to prevent it.”
Also, in a keynote address, the  president of Liberia, Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, took a historical excursion into the travails of her country, lamenting the nation’s huge losses to graft and poor governance, in spite of the enormous natural resources available in the country.  Johnson-Sirleaf said that through “structural and systemic reforms,” she had succeeded in steering Liberia out of “systemic and suicidal corruption level”. She gave the credit to the independence of the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission, fashioned after the EFCC and with unfettered freedom to carry out its job.

While commending Waziri for her outstanding performance as the EFCC chairman, Johnson-Sirleaf said governments of both Liberia and Nigeria must continue to instill “in our citizens the values we have lost. We should live within our means and always earn whatever we have.”
In her welcome address, Waziri described national economic and security challenges as man-made and largely traceable to corruption, where a few individuals were bleeding the wealth of the nation and causing great pain to the larger society.
Waziri said the corruption of a few had caused and was causing crushing and debilitating poverty and unemploy-ment, adding that “this poverty has led to despair and anger which, in many cases, has ignited violent unrest with attendant unpleasant consequences, including loss of innocent lives and property.”
According to her, in spite of the corruption-made deteriorating state of affairs of the nation, a few were still working daily to make the situation even worse.
While commending President Jonathan and the National Assembly for passing and signing into law two important pieces of legislation – the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011, Waziri described the laws as complementary to the EFCC Act 2004, the ICPC Act 2000 and the Code of Conduct Act in the fight against corruption and terrorism financing.
She assured the president that the EFCC, in collaboration with sister agencies, would imple-ment these laws to realise their spirit and intent.
In his remark, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Bello Adoke, said the theme of the seminar was apt, given the present state of interde-pendencies and connecti-vity of global economies.
He said his office had taken serious, the issue of stolen asset recovery, adding that ”this is borne out of the desire to ensure that corrupt persons are not only punished, but are prevented from enjoying the proceeds of their crimes.”
In his goodwill message the head of delegation of the European Union, Ambassador David Macrae commended the EFCC in its efforts towards ensuring good governance in Nigeria.
“Various anti-graft agencies play a key role all over the world in impro-ving good governance and contributing to the develop-ment process of countries. Nigeria is not an exception. Here, the EFCC, among other agencies, is playing a key role in fighting corruption and evolving the political and democratic process,” he said.
He also said the EU’s cooperation with the Federal Government of Nigeria was intended to strengthen existing insti-tutions, with a view to improving their performance and results.

NDDC: Fresh $37m lodgement in UK bank rattles presidency

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Written by Donald Ojogo, Warri Tuesday, 06 September 2011

THE presidency was said to have been unsettled on Monday, as fresh facts emerged that an additional sum of $37 million was deposited in a controversial account in the United Kingdom.
The probe panel set up by President Goodluck Jonathan had, two weeks ago, submitted its report to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that although the SGF had presented an executive memo on the report, the president was said to have insisted on thorough perusal of the recommendations in the report before taking action.
But, according to a top source in the presidency, Jonathan was taken aback by an aspect of the report which touched on the fresh discovery.
The NDDC has been embroiled in crisis of confidence, as the governing board, under the leadership of Air Vice Marshal Larry Koinyan, had been on collision course with the Managing Director, Chibuzor Ugwoha, over the opening of an account with a bank (name withheld) in the United Kingdom.
Ugwoha had since maintained that he did not need the approval of the governing board to open an account, even as he said the transfer was made in order to safeguard the funds from sinking with one of the failed banks in Nigeria.
“For all I know, no one will be punished unjustly and no one will be pardoned on the altar of political expediency; for instance, a new twist has been added to it all, as there was a disturbing thing which has been drawn to the attention of the president,” the source said.
A member of the Steve Orosanye-led panel, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the panel discovered additional $37 million was fixed in a current/deposit account for which no interest had accrued to the NDDC.

Abdulsalami didn’t want OBJ to run for 2nd term -Wikileaks

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Written by Dapo Falade Tuesday, 06 September 2011

FOUR years after leaving office, it has been revealed that the second term ambition of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2003, did not receive the blessings of some people in certain quarters, as the Nigerian Tribune gathered that former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abu-bakar, was not in support of the ambition.
According to a United States (US) diplomatic report released by Wikileaks, on Sunday, though Abdul-salami handed over the reins of government to Obasanjo in 1999, he had never wanted the latter to run for a second term in office.
It was gathered that Abdulsalami’s grouse with Obasanjo, which the US Ambassador, Howard Jeter, was privy to, had to do with the alleged poor performance of Obasanjo in office during the twilight of his first term in office.
The former head of state was said to have told Ambassador Jeter during a breakfast meeting that though Obasanjo meant well, his sincere intentions had been betrayed by the manner and decisions that had alienated many of his supporters.
With his alleged waning popularity in the North-West and South-East, the former head of state had hoped Obasanjo would follow the example of former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa and would not seek a second term.
However, Abdulsalami, according to the Wikileaks report, described Obasanjo as having the best interests of Nigeria at heart, as he said there was no other figure who could have assumed the presidency in 1999 other than him.
The original plan, according to the report, was that Obasanjo’s task, when he was elected in 1999, was to advance the democratic transition which the election was believed to have set in motion, but it was reported that Obasanjo was operating on multiple fronts, dealing with too many issues simultaneously.

Ekiti govt commences enumeration of elderly people

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Written by Sam Nwaoko, Ado Ekiti Tuesday, 06 September 2011

THE Ekiti State government has commenced its social security scheme for the aged with the commencement of an enumeration of elderly people in the 16 local government areas of the state.
The enumeration, which is part of the eight-point agenda of the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration, followed the conclusion of the training of enumerators for the survey of senior citizens in the state organised by the state Ministry of Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment.
After a week’s training, two enumerators were deployed in each of the 177 wards in the state and they are expected to capture 120,000 elderly people, based on the 2006 population projection.
However, it was gathered that the Committee on Social Security Scheme for Senior Citizens, Ekiti State, deployed 150,000 forms for the exercise, putting into consideration the expected population growth in that regard.
According to the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs Fola Richie-Adewusi, “welfare of the senior citizens in the state is a cardinal point in the eight-point agenda of the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration,” adding that the training of the enumerators and their deployment to all the wards in the state was essential to the achievement of the goal of the state government.
Mrs Richie-Adewusi added that “since our culture does not encourage the setting up of old people’s home, the state government has to fashion out a way of continuously identifying with people 65 years and above in a programme to be launched by Governor Fayemi later in the year.”
Speaking on the scheme through the state Head of Service, Mr Bunmi Famosaya, chairman of the Committee on Social Security Scheme for Senior Citizens, Ekiti State, Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi,  said the senior citizens would have access to some income to take care of their basic needs.
He warned those engaged in the exercise to avoid “any act of irresponsibility on the field,” saying such would be dealt with seriously.

Minimum wage: Adamawa workers begin indefinite strike

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Written by Wale Akintunde, Yola Tuesday, 06 September 2011

The Adamawa State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Monday, embarked on indefinite industrial action, saying that the new N18,000 minimum salary structure implemented by the state governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako (retd), is unacceptable.
The state chairman of the NLC, Mr Dauda Mana, said the workers would continue the strike, until the government retracted a circular credited to the union leaders as regards the new minimum wage implementation, adding that the NLC leaders were not party to the new salary structure implemented by the state government.
Mana, while addressing newsmen at the NLC state secretariat, said the state government had failed to implement the agreement reached with labour leaders on the new minimum wage, adding that another salary structure was  formulated and implemented by government without the input of the union.
According to him,  “the government set a committee between the union and its representatives where all necessary documents were collected and harmonised before  the two parties agreed on the new salary scale,  which the government fail to implement.”
He further explained that the labour leaders were surprised at the government’s decision to set aside the agreement reached between  the  two parties without their consent  and decided to pay only levels one to seven, N18,000 minimum wage.

Fear grips Bayelsa community, as gunmen kill 4 at a burial ceremony

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Written by Oluwole Ige, Yenagoa Tuesday, 06 September 2011

The residents of Otuokpoti community, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, are now living in fear over the recent gruesome killings of four residents at a burial ceremony held in the area, the Nigerian Tribune investigation has revealed.
The killings, the Nigerian Tribune gathered, occurred a fortnight ago, when some gunmen stormed the funeral ceremony of the late Madam Ano Enis, at about 12.30 p.m and fired several shots into the crowd, which eventually led to the death of  Mr Patterson Enis and three others.
Sources at the function said the assailants, who arrived the scene in an unmarked Hilux jeeps, called on their second victim, identified as Peacebe Afuga, before raining bullets into the crowd of sympathisers that had gathered to grace the occasion.
As a result of the incident, villagers of the affected community, who had planned to organise a social gathering,  had to put it on hold, so as to avoid another attack by gunmen.
Reacting to the development, the lawmaker, representing Ogbia constituency II in the state House of Assembly, Honourable Obedient Emoto, condemned the  killing of the  victims.

Family of 4 killed by generator fumes in Anambra

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Written by Okodili Ndidi, Onitsha Tuesday, 06 September 2011

It was an endless flow of tears on Monday in Nkwere-Ezunzka, a sleepy town in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, when members of a family of four were found dead having inhaled generator fumes.
Those found dead according to eyewitness account, include the head of the family, Mr Peter Nwoye, his wife, Ebele  and their two children, Chioma and Daluchukwu, who were  between the ages of 10 and 13.
Commenting on the incident, an in-law to Mr Nwoye, who preferred anonymity, told the Nigerian Tribune that  Nwoye and members of his family who were in good health went to bed  without the premonition about their death.
He said in the morning, the deceased’s neighbours became apprehensive when their house was still locked when other people had  woken up and were going about their businesses.
He added that, “the late Nwoye often woke up before everyone else and when it became apparent that there was no sign of life in the house, the neighbours invited the police who broke into the house and discovered their lifeless bodies.
Another eyewitness told the Nigerian Tribune that the corpses had foam in their mouths and appeared to have struggled hard before giving up the ghost.
He blamed constant power failure for the deaths which he said was caused by generator fumes.
When contacted, Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the incident saying that the death   was caused by inhalation of generator fumes by the family members.