Publisher, journalists condemn attack on ThisDay offices

Port Harcourt – Some journalists in Rivers have condemned Thursday’s bombings of ThisDay Newspapers buildings in Abuja and Kaduna.
Also Governor  Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State  has condemned the bomb attacks on the offices of some national newspapers on Thursday, stating that they were aimed at  suppressing  the rising anger against the bombers.
The journalists, who spoke in Port Harcourt, described the attacks on the media outfit as “senseless and barbaric.”
It is the first terror attack on a media outfit since the insurgency of terrorists in the country.
The Correspondent of the Tribune Newspaper, Mr Bolaji Ogundele, said it was worrisome that terrorists would attack the media which was the voice of the ordinary man.
“It makes me wonder, which way we are going if the media cannot function, it means total darkness for the nation. ’’
Mr Eddie Williams, the Publisher of a Port-Harcourt-based tabloid “The Envoy’’, said it was inexcusable for anybody to be attacked by terrorists, let alone a media outfit.
He called on the Federal Government to step up action to crush terrorism in the country.
Mr Reward Akwu, a former Rivers Council Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, said that objective information dissemination would be hampered if terrorists target media outfits.
He called on the Federal Government to embark on proactive measures curbing the spate of bombings.
The governor, in a release by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Festus Adedayo, said that it was extreme cowardice for the bombers to resort  to killing people and destroying properties.
Valiant people, he said, confront issues rather than making issues out of matters that could  be settled through dialogue.
Ajimobi said that the bombers, whose periodic attacks were against innocent people and churches, decided to carry the attacks  to newspaper houses, showed that they were incensed at the  reportage of  their nefarious activities.
He commiserated with the management of  Thisday and other newspapers whose premises were attacked,  stating that  it was a prize they had to pay for dissemination of the  truth.
While urging security agencies  to expedite action about curtailing the activities of  the Boko Haram and “their allied partners on this journey of destruction.”
Ajimobi expressed optimism that  the country would soon be rid of its “enemies within

One killed as Barca, Chelsea fans clash in Lagos …two die celebrating

One person was killed at a pub in Lagos on Tuesday night after a fight broke out between fans of Barcelona and Chelsea football clubs, while two others suspected to be Chelsea fans drove dangerously after the match resulting in a fatal accident.

PUNCH Metro learnt that John Idoko, a 23-year-old boy, was stabbed to death at a makeshift pub at Shiro Bus Stop, Boundary Road, Shasha.

It was learnt that the outcome of the football match, which favoured Chelsea FC, did not go down well with some Barcelona’s supporters.

According to police authorities, an altercation, degenerated into fisticuffs and supporters of the two clubs some of whom were drunk, soon engaged in a free-for-all.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Mr. Joseph Jaiyeoba, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone. He, however, added that no arrests had been made as no witness had come forward.

He said, “On Tuesday, around 10pm, a report reached Shasha Police Division that one John Idoko was stabbed to death with a broken bottle during a match between Chelsea and Barcelona football clubs.

“The owner of the pub said almost all her property was damaged during the fight as the fans went crazy. We don’t even know if Idoko was a fan of Chelsea or Barcelona

“No arrest has been made as witnesses have refused to come forward but investigations are ongoing.”

Jaiyeoba warned fun seekers to be careful when celebrating and remember their loved ones at home.

The spokesperson also warned members of the public that the use of explosives such as banger, would not been tolerated anymore.

He said celebration should be carried out in a peaceful manner, warning that the police would not tolerate any form of unruly behaviour.

“The use of banger is illegal as well as any form of disturbing public peace,” he said.

Meanwhile, the two people who died in the accident were driving dangerously in a commercial bus, popularly known as danfo, after the match.

Witnesses said the occupants were fans of Chelsea FC celebrating their club’s victory.

segun confirmed the two deaths but said it was uncertain whether they were football fans or not.

“Around 11:30pm, a Volkswagen bus somersaulted and caught fire around Ojota end of Ikorodu Road inward Maryland.

Subsidy: House Wants Ahmadu Ali Prosecuted

Former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali, should face prosecution over his tenure as chairman of the board of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), the House of Representatives has recommended.

Adopting the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Monitoring of the Subsidy Regime Tuesday, the lower chamber accepted a recommendation that Ali, who was board chairman from 2009 to 2011, and the entire members of the board during the period be prosecuted for their decisions which allegedly opened the floodgate for the abuse of the system.

Other recommendations adopted by the House include: “That the management and board of the NNPC should be completely overhauled and all those involved in infractions be further investigated and prosecuted by the relevant anti-corruption agencies.

"That all the payments which the PPPRA made to itself from the Petroleum Support Fund accounts in excess of the approved administrative charges which is due to it under the template should be recovered and paid back into the fund. The officials involved in this infraction should be further investigated/ prosecuted by the relevant anti-corruption agencies.

"That the Executive Secretaries of the PPPRA who were the accounting officers and under whose watch these abuses were perpetrated should be held liable.

"That the Executive Secretaries of the PPPRA between 2009-2011 should be investigated and prosecuted for the official recklessness exhibited in the implementation of the board decision to reverse the qualification for participation in the scheme."

The House was however divided on the issue of resolving the violations in the oil sector using the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Some members were opposed to the recommendation that the executive should send the PIB to the National Assembly.

They argued that there was already a PIB drafted by the House which should be passed expeditiously but this also generated uproar from those not comfortable with the idea of a PIB.

Speaker of the House, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, had at the opening of the session, commended his colleagues for their "commitment and patriotism" during the fuel subsidy crisis in January and urged them to consider the report of the ad hoc committee on the monitoring of fuel subsidy regime with diligence.

But the House bowed to external pressures in its consideration of the fuel subsidy probe report as the lawmakers suspended the sanctions earlier recommended for some 17 oil marketing firms indicted by the report.

Instead, the House gave the marketers two weeks to submit themselves to the Ad Hoc Committee on Monitoring of the Subsidy Regime in order for them to receive fair hearing.

The lawmakers also cleared Zenon Petroleum & Gas Limited as well as Synopsis Enterprises Limited of complicity among companies that obtained foreign exchange but did not import petroleum products.

The ad hoc committee explained that the latest information available to it indicated that these two firms should not have been grouped alongside the others because they were not beneficiaries of the Petroleum Support Fund.

Among the marketers that got reprieve were Mobil Oil Nigeria, Techno Oil Ltd, AX Energy Limited, Nepal Oil and Gas Service, Oilbath Nigeria, Somerset Energy Services, Stonebridge Oil and Crust Energy Limited.

Others included Mut-Has Petroleum, CAH Resources Association, Fresh Synergy Limited, Ibafon Oil, Lottoj Oil and Gas, Oakfield Synergy Network Limited, Petro Trade Energy Limited, Prudent Energy & Services and Rocky Energy Limited.

The report had asked these marketers to refund a total of N41.936 billion because they allegedly refused to appear before the committee and never submitted the required documents during the investigation.

But the group of 17 marketers have been at daggers drawn with the House since the report was released last week and had threatened to institute a N100 billion legal action to challenge the report.

They had in several paid advertorials alleged that they were not invited by the House Ad Hoc Committee on Monitoring Subsidy Regime and argued that it was unfair for the committee to have recommended sanctions against them after they were excluded from the process.

On the first day of consideration of the subsidy report, the House adopted a total of 35 of the 62 recommendations contained in the report.

The Green Chamber was filled to capacity and the atmosphere charged as lawmakers endorsed the principal recommendations asking the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the PPPRA and some oil marketers to refund about N1.070 trillion within three months for alleged violations of the subsidy scheme.

They also adopted the recommendation directing the Auditor General of the Federation (AGF) to set the process in motion for the auditing of the accounts of the NNPC to determine its solvency.

According to the report, an audit of the NNPC had become imperative given the plethora of claims of indebtedness and demands to pay its creditors which if not well handled could affect not only the supply and distribution of petroleum products but the entire economy.

Meanwhile, PPPRA has described as untrue an allegation that it paid itself N312 billion purportedly contained in the committee’s report on subsidy regime.

In a detailed official statement released yesterday, the agency also debunked claims that N999 million was paid to unknown entities, saying that the money was paid to 15 known marketers.

The agency stated that the N312 billion in question covered subsidy and other payments, including foreign exchange differential and interest on late payment of subsidy, approved by government based on the report of the auditor appointed by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

PPPRA also explained that the N312 billion was paid legally through the e-payment system, adding that it was not administrative charge as alleged.

It acknowledged that it usually advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to debit the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) account while crediting the marketers, in line with government’s policy of e-payment, stressing that the records of this payment still reside with the agency and CBN and were available for scrutiny.

The PPPRA also reiterated that the allegations of fraudulent duplication of payments to unknown beneficiaries could not be substantiated as the N999 million was paid to 15 known marketers.

It listed the 15 beneficiaries to include MRS Oil and Gas Ltd, Oando Plc, AP Plc, Brittania-U Nig. Ltd., and AITEO Energy Resources Ltd.

Others were Imad Oil and Gas Ltd., Rahamaniyya Oil & Gas Ltd., Northwest Petroleum and Gas and Conoil Plc.

Also included were Accorn Nigeria Plc, A-Z Petroleum Ltd., Total Plc, Folawiyo Energy Ltd and Integrated Oil & Gas Ltd.

PPPRA noted that there were 128 marketers under the scheme at that time, but added that the 128 cheques paid represented multiple payments legally made to the 15 participants

ASUU Calls for Prosecution of Oil Subsidy Fraudsters

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday called for immediate prosecution of those involved in the N1.6 trillion sleaze of the oil subsidy money to save the nation from endemic corruption.

Similarly, armed policemen  Monday took over the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Lagos ostensibly to forestall the protest allegedly planned by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) and other civil society groups against the recently discovered N1.070 trillion fuel subsidy fraud.

But ASUU in calling for the prosecution of those indicted in the report, also advocated the immediate revocations of all the operation licenses of the firms indicted by a competent court of law in the oil subsidy massive fraud.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSU), the ASUU, National President, Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie, expressed delight over the ways and manner the Hon Lawan Farouq–led House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on corruption in the fuel subsidy had unraveled how the cabals in the Oil sector , had received a sum of N999 million in about 128 times within 24 hours.

Awuzie  frowned at how the  Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation had paid a whopping N1.9 billion to a Waste Management firm in the name of oil subsidy, which has no relevance in oil sector.

According to him, “It was disturbing to note in the report of the House that NNPC illegally collected N310 billion as subsidy for Kerosene Imports. All these and other documented instances of fraud had shown that massive corruption is still the norm among the rich and highly placed in both public and private sectors.

Worse still, the consequence of such massive corruption is shifted to the poor who are made to pay for higher prices for fuel under the guise of the withdrawal of the so called oil subsidy.”

Commenting on the recent trial and conviction of the former Delta State Governor, Mr. James Onanefe Ibori, by Southwark Crown Court in London for money laundering, Awuse described it as a big challenge to corrupt Nigerian leaders and the judiciary, which had earlier acquitted the former governor of the same charge.

ASUU said the Ibori’s conviction was a major breakthrough in the steps being taken to reduce corruption in the country.

Meanwhile, Convener of the SNG, Mr. Tunde Bakare, said they had served the Federal Government with the notice of a mass protest should it failed to prosecute all the culprits of the subsidy fraud and make refunds within a specified time.

According to him, the civil society group have started dissecting the report and that another operation  ‘Occupy Nigeria' is imminent if government failed to prosecute the culprits.
He said the civil society group met last Saturday to discuss strategy for the mass protest and would make known their findings by Wednesday.

But ahead of the planned protest, the Gani Fawehinmi park has now been occupied by armed Policemen.

An armoured tank with policemen in full combat gear was stationed near the park along the service lane of the expressway. 
Also, two patrol pick up vans,  stationed on the other side of the park, along the road leading to the waste disposal site, were also filled with armed policemen.

Jonathan Challenges PDP Leadership

President Goodluck Jonathan has charged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its newly elected National Working Committee (NWC) to ensure they instil discipline in the party as well as maintain independence so that it would be able to steer the country in the direction of development and peace.

He emphasised that there was need to rebuild the party to make it have the supreme power over everybody that attains any political position under its mandate and ensure that it can discipline the President and any other erring member against the current practice of members doing what they listed against the guidelines of the party without repercussions.

Jonathan who spoke at House 7 yesterday, at a dinner to welcome the new PDP executives led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, stressed the need to make the party financially strong through implementing the clause that members should make monthly contribution as well as explore other means of making the party financially strong so that it would not be swayed by anybody due to needs.

While explaining that the party was supreme and being the owner of the mandate which selected the President for presentation before election, there was need for the party to be supreme and its chairman in a meeting to come before that of any elected official in order of protocol, though the President should be respected.

He reminded political appointees that they were on the platform of the party which produced the ruling government and should therefore tailor their programmes to fit into the party manifesto and to see the party as the controlling force to which everyone should attune their programmes to as the clearing house on whose pivot every programme should rotate.

According to him, unless the party is able to maintain discipline among members, it will wear the toga of a party whose members were on the platform as independent candidates and appealed for the cooperation which the founding fathers of the party had in mind for the party to continue maintaining its strong showing in the political space.

“The party must make sure that members are disciplined and if the party cannot enforce discipline the PDP will just be operating like a platform for independent candidate. PDP is a political party and as a party you must have guidelines and no matter the office you are holding, the party must be in a position to discipline or admonish Mr President if he deviates. In South Africa, ANC can admonish the President because the party is superior.

“That is why in the gathering of the party, the party Chairman takes precedence in order of protocol. It shows that the President himself is under the chairman. The President cannot be a maximum ruler. The President is selected by the party and must serve the party not the party serving the President. So, if the President is deviating, the President must be called upon so that all we know that the party is supreme and we must all follow the dictates of the party.

Nobody in the party from the President to the least person at the ward will be superior to the party. So, you have a lot of challenges in this direction to make sure that you instil that kind of discipline. We will give you maximum cooperation”, he said.

Jonathan noted that none of the speakers prior to his address mentioned how the party will be financially independent, adding,
  “The other area that you didn't mention is how the party will be financially independent. We cannot continue to depend on contributions. Yes, members of the party must pay monthly contributions based on our guidelines but then, we must all work to create an avenue where the party will source funding so that if you are the chairman of the party, members of the working committee you can manage the party without excessive influence of people.

Even though we expect all money bags to be in PDP but we don't want the moneybags to influence the activities of the party and to stop that of course, we must come up with programmes that will make the party self-sustaining in terms of financing".

He said he looked forward to a situation and relationship where the party will give direction as well as act as the cohesive factor through meeting regularly that will galvanise both the Legislature and the Executive since the reputation for the administration enthroned by the party will either give good or bad name to it depending on performance.

In an apparent reference to the criticisms that are being thrown on the party by the opposition, Jonathan said they would not be responding to all of them, reasoning that, “We will not follow them because when you are in the ruling party, you must show more maturity, you must show the leadership that at the end of the day no matter where you talk people will have no choice than to follow the PDP direction”.

In his goodwill message, Ojo Maduekwe said the time to ensure changes was now and that the party should dialogue more, take painful decisions and explain to the public why it is doing so, insisting that the time to take the party to the expected heights was now.
He said the party has to dream of where to take the country to as well as give it direction whether it was to curb corruption or to as what has happened to any of the programmes like the rehabilitation of the railways, the party has to take firm decisions to make things happen.

He reminded Tukur that decisions that bring about changes were not tea party and that the party has to work with the government to mobilise the nation in difficult moments to attain the needed goals and assured the gathering that the new executive of the party paraded intimidating credentials which makes attaining goals easier.

Also speaking, Pioneer Chairman of the party, Chief Solomon Lar said they muted the idea of forming a national party in Kiri Kiri where the military detained them after the coup that ousted the second republic where they decided to form a formidable party that would be difficult for the military to oust.

He said that the spirit of the founding fathers which was patriotism should not be abandoned, adding that democracy being practiced for 13 unbroken years was the longest so far and a justification in their resolve to go for national party instead of zonal and regional arrangements.

He said that the people love PDP while the party also loves Nigerians and assured that the best should always be done in the greater interest of all Nigerians so that the country can move forward and insisted that the country will remain forever as one indivisible unit inspite of predictions that it will break up.

Tukur in his vote of thanks said that the party will steer the country towards justice, fairness, good governance and equity while inclusiveness will be its watchword and assured that they will do all within their power to ensure that they return the party to the dreams of its founding fathers.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed said it was imperative to respect the party as supreme so that every other person will come under the direction and vision of the party for the much needed development.

FG’ll complete Apapa-Oshodi Expressway next year – Minister

The Federal Government on Tuesday said that the contract for the rehabilitation of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos State would be completed in December 2013.

The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, disclosed this in Abuja at the Ministerial Platform to commemorate Democracy Day and one year in office of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Present at the platform were the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, his counterpart at the Ministry of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, as well as other key government officials.

In recent times, commuters plying the road, which leads to the Apapa Ports, have been experiencing hardship occasioned by perennial traffic gridlock caused by the bad state of the road.

The assurance on the completion of the rehabilitation of the road came just as the Transport minister stated that the Federal Government’s intervention in the rehabilitation of the rail sector had yielded positive results.

For instance, he said in 2009, a total of 1.285 million passengers were transported though the rail system.

The figure, Umar said, rose to 1.514 million in 2010 and 3.49 million in 2011.

For the first quarter of 2012, the minister said that a total of 965,147 passengers were transported through the rail system.

However, to enable the Federal Government adequately complete the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway within the stipulated time, Onolememen said a new funding arrangement was proposed by the ministry to the National Economic Management Team.

The NEMT, according to him, has given approval for the project to be funded under the new arrangement.

The minister said, “The Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, which was becoming an embarrassment and a source of agony to many Nigerians before the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan because of its deplorable condition, has been improved upon tremendously in the past one year.

“Only last week, I led an inspection team to assess the ongoing works on this road and the current expansion of the road, drainage works, construction of a trailer park and the construction of a dedicated bridge leading into the Tin-Can Island Port from Liverpool Road roundabout were very reassuring.”

He added, “The project had been experiencing poor funding for a while and because of this, we decided to make presentations to the NEMT on how we can creatively fund that project.

“And based on this presentation, the NEMT approved the funding model for the accelerated completion of this road, and if the funds are made available as expected, we are upbeat that by December 2013, the project will be brought to completion.”

The minister, who said he inherited about 168 ongoing projects valued at N960bn upon assumption of office a year ago, noted that within the last six months, 16 of such projects had been completed.

“From the 160 ongoing projects we inherited, we have pursued diligent execution of the prioritised projects, ensuring that adequate progress is being made towards completing them on schedule

Subsidy: ICAN to state position on indicted firms • Our scope was limited – Akintola Williams Deloitte

The President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Prof. Francis Ojaide, will in the next few days make a pronouncement on the indictment of two audit firms, Akintola Williams Deloitte and Company and Adekanola and Company, by the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on the Management of the Fuel Subsidy Fund.

The Assistant Director, Corporate Affairs, ICAN, Mr. Dayo Ajigbotosho, said in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, “In every organisation, there is hierarchy, and it is the president that can make pronouncements on the issue at hand. He is currently on a foreign trip and we expect him back this week. As soon as he comes back, he will make a statement on the issue.”

Meanwhile, following the recommendation of the committee and the subsequent sacking of audit firms by the Ministry of Finance, the management of Akintola Williams Deloitte said on Tuesday that its scope in the management of the subsidy fund was limited.

The firm said the audit process was not designed by it, hence its inability to totally evaluate the process end-to-end.

The House committee’s report had indicted the firm for “professional incompetence” and recommended that it should be blacklisted from being engaged by any federal ministry, department or agency for a period of three years.

Speaking to newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, the Chief Executive Officer, Akintola Williams Deloitte, Mr. Adeniyi Obe, refuted the allegation, while stressing that the firm carried out its work within the mandate of its agreement with the Budget Office of the Federation and with the required professional standards expected of any responsible professional services provider.

Obe noted that AWD responsibility was mainly to participate in the process of receiving petroleum products into the country based on specific vessels allocated to the firm and ascertain the actual quantities of imported products, among others.