Insecurity: Nigerian cancels NYSC passing out parade nationwide

The parade was cancelled for security reasons.
There was no passing-out parade ceremony for the Batch B 2013/2014 corps members across Nigeria due to recent security challenges in the country.
The traditional parade was supposed to hold on Thursday, June 5 but was cancelled by the Nigerian government.
The parade is usually the last official function of the graduates as corps members before they are issued with their discharge certificates.
One of the corps members affected, Franka Onuche, who served in Rivers State, expressed her disappointment to PREMIUM TIMES.
“I must tell you I’m not happy. I’m disappointed that I was not able witness the parade here in Port Harcourt. We were told that we could not do it because of the security challenges the country is facing right now. But I think the federal government should have provided enough security for corps member all over the nation since they know it’s our day and its once in a year for each batch,” she said.
Another corps member, Grace Ejioda, who served in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, however, deemed the cancellation a great idea considering the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.
“The Federal Government has done well by asking us not do the usual pass out parade. With this whole Boko Haram issue going on around the country now, one has to be very careful because we can never know when they will strike again. Now, it’s not as if they have a target, it’s usually where there is a crowd. We really need to try as much as possible to avoid crowds,” she said.
The National Youth Service Corps Public Relation Officer, Bose Aderibige, also confirmed that the security situation caused an alteration of the passing out program.
“It (whole passing out program) was not cancelled. It was all done on a low key. The ceremony was held, awards were given,” she said. “But there was no parade because we did not want them to be gathered in one place because of the security challenges in the nation. It’s only the parade that was cancelled.”
(PREMIUM TIMES)

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Tambuwal blasts Abuja Police boss, Mbu, over protest ban

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Speaker House of Reps

The speaker says the culture of impunity in governance must be halted.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has lambasted the Commissioner of Police for Abuja, Joseph Mbu, for ordering a ban on protests urging increased government action for the release of abducted schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State.
The ban, imposed by Mr. Mbu on Monday, was reversed a day after following widespread condemnation.
The police high command denounced Mr. Mbu’s action, saying protesters were free to hold daily sit-in, provided they remain peaceful.
The protests have held for more than a month since more than 200 girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram in Borno State.
In a speech marking the end of the third legislative year, Thursday, Mr. Tambuwal said Mr. Mbu’s “audaciousness” in ordering the ban showed Nigeria’s “descent into the pits of reckless disregard for the rights of citizens”.
The speaker said the ban was “unacceptable” and vowed that the House will treat the police commissioner’s order with the “seriousness that it deserves”.
“To buttress our descent into the pits of reckless disregard for the rights of citizens, the nation recently woke up to the sad dawn of a Commissioner of Police acting on his own initiative, without clearance from his superiors and in flagrant contravention of the clear Constitutional guarantees of the right of citizens audaciously purporting to ban the peaceful assembly of Nigerians,” Mr. Tambuwal said.
“This is an unacceptable abridgement of the rights of Nigerians to freedom of speech, association and peaceful assembly, and this House must treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves.”
A controversial figure, Mr. Mbu was drafted to Abuja as police chief after a turbulent run in Rivers State where he maintained a testy relationship with the governor, Chibuike Amaechi.
While in Rivers State, the police commissioner repeatedly clamped down on protests and meetings defying widespread criticisms of his conduct.
Mr. Mbu has been accused of being unprofessional and doing the bidding of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Mr. Tambuwal said the “fact that the office of the Inspector-General of Police felt compelled to deny the action of the Police Commissioner only goes to underscore the audaciousness of the conduct of the Police commissioner.”
“As important as all our duties and functions as the legislative arm in a democratic government are, none is more important than our duty to protect and preserve the rights guaranteed to all Nigerians by our Constitution. Any attempt by anybody to infringe on the rights of Nigerians is a direct affront to this House. This House must therefore take necessary measures to ensure that such sacrilege does not repeat itself anywhere in Nigeria.
The culture of impunity at the highest levels of governance in Nigeria must be brought to a halt,” he said.

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Explosion near Gombe Governor’s residence; three feared killed

An explosion has occurred near the personal residence of Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State.
A resident of the town, Ahmed Hamza, told PREMIUM TIMES that the explosion occurred near an Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, parked in front of the Government House.
He said three children who were attending a ceremony at the residence of the Governor’s Chief of Staff died following the stampede after the blast.
“One more dead body was seen in the area, we are however not sure if it is the bomber or just a passerby,” he said.
The spokesperson of Mr. Dankwambo, Junaidu Usman, however, claimed the blast was not from an explosive device.
“The blast is from a car kept all day in the sun and possibly contains an inflammatory item. It is definitely not a bomb and it wasn’t within the vicinity of the Governor’s House”.
Mr. Usman also said it is only the police that can give the official casualty figure, if any.
The police are yet to make a statement of the explosion.
The spokesperson of the Gombe Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Fwaje Atajiri, could not be reached for comments.
(PREMIUM TIMES)

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President Mahama makes changes and new appointments

President John Mahama has announced further changes in his administration with the nomination of Mr. Acquinas Quansah, Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture,  as Minister for the Central Region.

The President has also, in accordance with Article 79(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, nominated the following as Deputy Ministers of State.

1. Mrs. Mona Quartey - Ministry of Finance

2. Mrs. Dela Sowah- Ministry of Gender, Children & Social Protection

3. Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe- Ministry of Health

The following Deputy Ministers of State have also been re-assigned, as part of the ongoing changes in government.

1. Deputy Minister for Finance, Kweku Ricketts Hagan, is now the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry

2. John Alexander Ackon, Deputy Minister for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs is now Deputy Minister for the Ashanti Region

3. Dr. Alfred Tia Sugri has been moved from the Health Ministry to the Ministry of the Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation as a Deputy Minister

4. Ebenezer Okletey Tei Larbi has been moved from the Ministry of Defence to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as a Deputy Minister

5. Benita Sena Okity –Duah is now Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture

6. Dr. Musheibu Mohammed-Alfa of the Ministry of the Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation is now Deputy Minister for the Upper West Region

(GNA)

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Edwin Clark seeks revocation of Tompolo, Asari Dokubo’s security contracts

Mr. Clark accused top military brass of illegal oil bunkering.
A delegate at the National Conference, Edwin Clark, has called on the Government of Nigeria to revoke pipeline security contracts awarded to ex-militant leaders, including Government Ekpemukpolo, alias Tompolo, and Asari Dokubo.
Mr. Clark, who was commenting on the report of the National Conference Committee on Public Finance and Revenue, also indicted top military personnel for oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Tompolo is a former commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, while Mr. Dokubo is the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Force, NDVF, all disbanded militants groups from the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
According the Wall Street Journal report, the Federal Government of Nigeria is said to be making an annual payment of over N3.6 billion to Tompolo, N1.44 billion to Mr. Dokubo, N560 million to Tom Ateke, and N560 million to Victor Ben alias Boyloaf.
In 2011, the government had awarded a pipeline surveillance contract worth $103 million (N15 billion) to Tompolo’s Global West Vessel Specialists Limited in a deal that shocked many Nigerians.
But Mr. Clark suggested that contracts for the protection of oil installations should rather be awarded to youth and communities where such installations are located.
He noted that oil theft astronomically increased since oil pipeline and maritime protection contracts were awarded to the former militant leaders.
“We are talking about oil theft and I have always said there will be no more illegal bunkering if the youth are involved in the protection of oil installations.
“While oil companies employ contractors to guard pipelines, community leaders insist the job be given to local contractors. I went and said to the President, why not give this job to youths or the communities.
“Every community that fails to do its job will be sanctioned. Nothing was done until recently. I don’t know why it was given to Tompolo and Asari Dokubo. Youth can protect our pipelines.
“If you get to a community where there are pipelines, gather the youth in that place and give them to job to protect the facility. You would have given jobs to the youth of that community and you would have stopped oil theft.
“Today Tompolo and Asari Dokubo are having the contracts. They are not the ones doing the jobs. Their principals are there. What has stopped us from refining our petrol is corruption, corruption and corruption.”
Mr. Clark also shocked his fellow delegates when he openly accused top military brass of involvement in illegal oil bunkering, adding that the trend started in early 70s during the oil boom.
He said, “The military officers in Niger Delta are involved in oil theft. I made this point to President Obasanjo and he asked Danjuma, who was Minister of Defense, to look through and he went and found that it was true. Some top military officers, both serving and retired are involved in illegal oil bunkering.
“I have suggested that the troops in the Niger Delta should be changed from time to time. In doing so, you will find that the stealing of oil will be reduced.”
As Commissioner of Finance in the defunct Mid-Western State in 1972, Mr. Clark said he travelled with Shehu Shagari, who was then Federal Commissioner of Finance; to Forcados Terminal, where Nigeria crude oil was being exported.
While there, he said the team discovered that government officials were only interested in what comes to them, rather than protecting the interest of Nigeria.
Mr. Clark insisted that the government does not know the quantity of oil taken out of the country on a daily basis.
He continued, “One hardly knew how much oil was being taken away from our shores. It was published in the newspaper, till today; I do believe that if you go to Forcados Terminal the same story will be told.
“We are talking about oil theft, I have always said that our young men at home do bucket bunkering. They have no facility, they lack the technology, but those who steal our oil are people who come from abroad. Have we forgotten the case where three admirals were fully involved? They were court marshaled.”

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Nigerian military denies “court-martialing” 10 Generals over Boko Haram links

The Nigerian military has denied a news report that 10 generals were being court-martialled for supplying arms and leaking operational secrets to the extremist sect, Boko Haram.
The military said the report by Leadership newspaper, a Nigerian daily, that the military had tried and convicted 15 senior officers-including 10 generals- for aiding Boko Haram, was “unfortunate” as no general was “under any form of trial”.
“It is bad enough for any Army to try and convict a single general for such a grievous offence as alleged in the reports talk less of ten generals,” military spokesperson, Chris Olukolade, said in a statement.
Quoting military sources, Leadership had reported that nearly a dozen army generals and soldiers on lower ranks had been brought to trial for sabotaging the Nigerian government’s onslaught against Boko Haram.
The paper said many generals have been slated for retirement and court-martial, for leaking troops’ movement to the insurgents, and collaborating with politicians to sabotage the government.
Coming amid widespread concerns about sabotage in the Nigerian military in its fight against Boko Haram, the Leadership report drew extensive referencing in the international media Tuesday.
But the military said it bore no truth.
“This falsehood had previously been refuted when it first reared its head but those concocting it appear hell bent on misleading Nigerians and the international community to give credence to the negative impression they are so keen to propagate about the Nigerian military,” Mr. Olukolade said.
But military officials confirmed that while “routine” court-martial had happened recently, no general was involved amongst those charged for any reason.
The officials said among soldiers facing trial, the highest rank was a Lieutenant Colonel.
Still, they said the process, currently holding in Kaduna, had little to do with Boko Haram and include usual offences such as “acts of misdemeanour, failure to perform military duties, and cowardice”.
The defence spokesperson, Mr. Olukolade, said ongoing “disciplinary process” will be made public when necessary.
“After all, court martial issues in the Nigerian Army are not known to be secret undertakings as it is on record that previous proceedings and outcome have been made public in the past,” he said.
“Disciplinary processes being undertaken in any formation of the Nigerian Army are at best routine and definitely not at the level that has been so willfully exaggerated for clearly sinister motives.”

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Godwin Emefiele Resumes Work Today As New CBN Governor

The new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, is expected to take charge of the apex regulatory institution today, Monday June 2, 2014. He replaces Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was on February 20 suspended by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The New Governor’s primary objective will be to ensure the gains in price and exchange rate stability are preserved and, therefore, maintain the previous regime’s tightening stance.
A system’s-person and unassuming achiever, Emefiele, knows and understands banking and the unique Nigerian economy like the palms of his hands.

He took Zenith Bank to another height last year when he became the first GMD/CEO in the banking industry to achieve N100 billion after tax profit in 2012 financial year. 

He is an astute manager of people and resources and corporate governance, savvy, professional banker who has earned several personal and corporate endorsements and achievements.

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