Senate Orders IG To Arrest Task Force Chairman

A new twist was added in the ongoing probe of the management of the pension fund in Nigeria as the Senate Panel investigating the process yesterday ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar to arrest and produce the Chairman, Pension Reform Task Force Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, before the Committee by 10am tomorrow over alleged embezzlement of police pension fund.

Also, the panel summoned the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde.

Okonjo-Iweala is to give the reasons for freezing pension account over allegations of deduction of N119million while Lamorde will explain the alleged complicity of some of his officers in the activities of the pension task force.

The order was made against the backdrop of more mind bogging revelations on the alleged excesses of the taskforce on the pension fund.

The Chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment and State and Local Government Administration, Senator Aloysius Etok, nonetheless commended the courage.

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PENSION:Time bomb waiting to explode – Senate

STRONG indications emerged yesterday that heads may roll at the office of the Head of Service following allegations that part of the funds earmarked for the payment of pension funds in the country may have been diverted into private hands.

The Senate has also warned that if urgent solution was not found in the management of the pension scheme, it was capable of throwing the country into a serious crisis as it has become a time bomb.

This was made known to Journalists yesterday in Abuja by the Chairman, Senate joint Committee investigating the management of N700 billion pension fund, Senator Aloysius Etok while speaking on the Journey so far on the comprehensive Investigation of Pension payment, management and Administration of Pension Funds in Nigeria.

According to him, at the end of the Committee’s tour of all the geo-political zones of the country, the Committee would have to question the office of Head of Service to ascertain what happened to the funds.

Senator Etok who disclosed that the entire pension funds in the country has been put at N4.23 trillion, said that in the course of the Committee’s investigation in some of the states, it was discovered that many states owed their retirees billions of naira in pension arrears, thereby causing pains on them and their immediate families while many have died, adding that one state alone in the country was indebted to pensioners to the tune of about N10-15 billion.

Senator Etok, PDP Akwa Ibom North West and Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Services noted that out of the N24 billion for the Police Pension fund, only N3 billion was paid, even as he said that N21 billion Pension fund was traced to a Commercial Bank.

Flanked by Chairman, Senate Committee on States and Local Government, Senator Kabiru Gaya, Senator Etok said, “What we discovered on ground in respect to pension payment and management is a time bomb that we must address immediately or else when it explodes, it will be disastrous because we have had some states owing N8 to N10 billion for only state pension.

“If you include the local government pension, you realize some of the states are owing N14 to N15 billion. Therefore it is impossible that such states will be able to pay considering the fact that people are retiring every month and they are adding to that number. We have discovered that and we will look for a way to make sure that such arrears are cleared and to make sure we have a clean slate to commence the next phase of pension administration.”

‘’In Benue state we were told how they traced some amount especially funds which were to be paid to retired police officers as pension about N21 billion. Again we also discovered that a lot of more money have been traced to commercial banks which are meant to be paid as pension to retired officers while the retirees are roaming the street.

‘’We also realized that there are so many pensioners who have not been captured. They said the task force added more insults to injury by excluding more people.”

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Nigerian Senate Splashes N1.7bn On Jeeps For Senators

Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are expected to take delivery of their official Toyota Land Cruiser Jeeps this week, all things being equal.

The cost per unit of the 2011 model of the Jeep obtained from the manufacturer's website is $100,724 - about N16,115, 840. The total cost of the vehicles for the 109 senators is put at over N1.7 billion.

A competent source in the National Assembly disclosed that the senators opted for the Land Cruiser Jeep because of its unique features.

When asked to confirm the story, a senator who spoke on condition of anonymity simply said "we have been on this issue for some time."

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Senate query presidency over N1.3b budget for food & Refreshment

The Senate, yesterday queried the Presidency over N1.3 billion budgeted for food stuffs and refreshment, including the purchase of computers and furniture, describing it as outrageous.

Out of N1.3billion, N293 million was set aside for refreshment, N500 million for food stuffs, N265 million for computers and N295 million for furniture for no specific office.

A member of the committee, Senator Isa Galadu, said, “the huge allocation for foodstuffs in a country where 70 per cent lives below a dollar per day and 90 per cent below two dollars per day is outright outrageous. I do not understand why you have allocated N293 million for refreshment, apart from the foodstuffs allocation.”

The chairman of the committee, Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta also asked why the State House planned to spend N295 million on furniture for an unspecified residence.

“The purchase of residential furniture for N295 million, is it for the residence of Mr President? You also have N265 million for computers. You bought computers last year. Do you still want to buy computers this year again?” he queried.

In his response to all the queries, the permanent secretary, State House, Dr. Funmi Olaopa said that the State House is a huge bureaucracy on its own and it is a meeting point for a huge array of critical stakeholders, both local and international.

“There are lots of standing committees, visiting presidents, diplomats, people from the Diaspora, captains of industries and a lot of banquets are held and these are service- based. Moreso, we now run democracy unlike the military. Now, we necessarily have to expand in order to run an inclusive government."

WOW...WHAT A JOKE.

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Senators, Reps to resolve crisis in 24 hrs

THE Senate and the House of Representatives, yesterday, expressed their resolve to end the current nationwide strike by organised labour against removal of fuel subsidy by government within 24 hours, following positive responses from both parties after series of meetings held in the past 72 hours.

Senate President, David Mark had called two separate meetings on Monday and Tuesday nights at his Apo Mansion to settle the impasse between Labour and the Federal Government.

The meetings which were attended by the leadership of Organized Labour led by President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar and his counterpart from the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Peter Esele was however deadlocked as Senate could not convince labour to call off the strike.

Vanguard gathered that the Senate has proposed a middle point where federal government and labour will meet by way of a new price regime for petroleum products instead of the complete removal of fuel subsidy.

Sources said that it was suggested to government to peg the price of petrol at N90 or N100 per litre.

It will be recalled that Senator Mark had given assurance that the impasse between Organized Labour and Federal Government on the removal of fuel subsidy will soon come to end.

The House of Representatives on its part was confident an agreement would be reached between labour and government within 24 hours.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, the chairman of the House Committee on Labour, Pastor Essien Ekpenyong Ayi said this was based on positive responses from the representatives of the organised labour and those of the Federal Government at the ongoing negotiation with the two parties on the issue.

According to the Chairman, “we are making progress, and I sincerely believe that in the next 24 hours or so, the effort of the House to resolve this matter shall be achieved”.

He said that during the interface, labour insisted that certain conditions must be met before the federal government could go ahead with the deregulation policy and lamented that none of the conditions such as fixing the nation’s refineries, fixing of roads, power supply and functional transportation among others, has been met before it went ahead with the policy.

Ayi however said that hope was not lost as both parties have seen reasons why the matter should be resolved amicably before further damage was done to the nation’s economy.

He said: “Today (yesterday) is the fouth day of the ongoing strike and you will agree with me that government has lost a lot of resources running into billions of naira as a result of the ongoing strike. I am made to understand that Nigeria has lost as much as N158.9 billion on daily basis from the ongoing strike. What is accrued to the federal government from her own share of the deregulation for 2012 is about N500billion from the N1.3trillion and if the strike is sustained for about five days, the government shall lose more”.

Govt can’t fight oil cabal with tied hands – Alison-Madueke

Meanwhile, Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, yesterday, gave reasons why the government would not revert fuel price to N65 per litre as being demanded by protesting Nigerians led by the Organised Labour since last Monday.

According to her, retaining fuel subsidy would entrench the nauseating graft in the downstream sector of the oil industry, mortgage the country’s future and make it almost impossible for the government to check the corrupt activities of some oil marketers, who are reaping bountifully from oil subsidy to the detriment of most Nigerians and the economy.

The Minister, who spoke in an NTA programme yesterday, said her experience as Petroleum Minister in the last16 months showed that fuel subsidy was the main cause of corruption in the downstream sector of the oil industry.

“People want us to fight the oil cabal and yet they don’t want us to remove subsidy, which is the main cause of corruption in the sector. We can’t fight corruption in the downstream sector with our hands tied,” she said.

Besides, Alison-Madueke urged Nigerians not to be unnecessarily hard on patriotic Nigerians, who played key roles in ensuring steady fuel supply in the county as oil marketers. “There are innocent marketers doing genuine business to keep Nigeria wet. We must not mix them with the corrupt ones. We shall go after the corrupt ones,” she said.

Lamenting that countries around Nigeria sell fuel at a gross higher rate even with the N141 per litre price, she said it was not possible to ensure zero smuggling of fuel at the borders, which, according her, even the United States of America had not been able to achieve.

According to her, fuel price in some neighbouring African countries in Naira are as follows: Chad, N210; Ghana, N175; Niger, N181; Benin Republic, N167 and Morocco, N198.

Urging Nigerians and Organised Labour to buy into the deregulation policy in the interest of the country, the Minister said government wanted to leave a lasting legacy for the country and would embark on reforms to ensure a brighter Nigeria.

“We have only one country, one Nigeria. We want to leave a legacy for us to be remembered for in future. We want to ensure that we can look back after the next three years and say we managed well the temporary pains that came with the removal of fuel subsidy,” she said.

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Do You Think Ojukwu Was a National Hero In Nigeria?

THE Senate, on Thursday, opposed a proposal for state burial for the late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, arguing that the former Biafran leader did not fall in the category of those who should be so honoured.

They, however, advised the South-East governors to come together and give him a befitting burial.

While paying glowing tribute to the former Biafran warlord, the Senate urged the Federal Government to immortalise him by naming a prominent establishment after him.

It also observed a minute silence in his honour and agreed to send a delegation to commiserate with his family, the people and government of Anambra State.

A motion moved by Senator Andy Uba and 50 others had noted that Ojukwu was a source of pride for those who had the opportunity to know him, as he stood tall against elements of injustice, segregation and oppression.

He disclosed that after Biafra,“his efforts helped to lay the foundation for national integration, equality and equity, championing Nigeria as one indivisible unit true to the words in our National Anthem.”

According to him, “Ojukwu seceded South-Eastern Nigeria from the rest of the country and proclaimed the area a sovereign state with the name Republic of Biafra, on January 9, 1970” before running away from Nigeria.

Uba informed that he was granted a full state pardon by the Shehu Shagari civilian administration and returned to the country in 1982, noting that “as an astute politician, he joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and was a member of the 1995 Constitutional Conference that midwived the fourth republic.”

Thereafter, members in turn eulogised him. Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who worked with him closely, described his death as the end of an era and the beginning of another one, adding that Ojukwu as a soldier was courageous and fearless.

According to him, he was a soldier who later became a democrat, fearless, a great man, patriotic, loved by his people. “Definitely, Lagos would miss him and Nigeria would equally miss him.”

Senator Abdul Ningi, in his contribution, said Ojukwu was brought up with silver spoon but decided on his own to associate with the underprivileged and through that he had committed suicide on his own.

He said when “he came back from Cote d’ Ivoire, he informed that he would still fight again, but for the unity of Nigeria. He died a nationalist and as an Igbo leader.”

Senator Smart Adeyemi described him as a courageous and intelligent person with strong strength of character, narrating that “when we were young in the village, anytime we heard about Ojukwu, we thought he was a spirit, because of his courage and intelligence. He was destined to sacrifice for the greatness of the country.”

The Senate president, Mr David Mark, after the debate, described him as a great Nigerian, noting that when he joined the Nigerian Army, “it was only great patriots that could join and they were very few in view of his educational attainment and very few of them are alive today.”

According to him, “when you have a nationalist with radical and revolutionary idea, then Nigerians should see his positive side rather than the other side. You cannot mention Ojukwu without mentioning Gowon, Adebayo and Hassan Katsina.

“People who worked with him learnt a lot from him and some of the disagreement was based on his principle. History would be kind to him,” he said.

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Senate invites Okonjo-Iweala, Alison-Madueke, Sanusi, over fuel subsidy removal

The Senate joint Committee probing the management of fuel subsidy scheme yesterday invited Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, her Petroleum Resources counterpart, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to appear before it to explain the ‘’unprecedented rise’’ in the fund expended on fuel subsidy this year.

Others included Group Managing Director (GMD) Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr.Austen Oniwon, Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Abdullahi Dikko, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sa’ad Ibrahim and Managing Director, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).

They are to appear before the committee on Thursday.
Committee Chairman on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) Senator Magnus Abe disclosed the names of those invited at a news conference in Abuja .

Part of the invitation letter reads: “The Senate at its sitting on Wednesday, 12the September, 2011 considered a motion entitled: ‘Investigation into the current fuel subsidy management” and mandated its joint committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Appropriation, and Finance to investigate the operation of the fuel subsidy scheme.”

“The joint committee in carrying out its mandate resolved to request your initial reaction in a written brief and to invite you to meet the committee.”

It said that the brief should explain the entire procedure for administering the subsidy, sources of fund and “why there has been an unprecedented rise in the quantum of subsidy in the latter part of this year than we had at the beginning” of the year.

Abe noted that “there are some interests in the assignment given to the joint committee.”
He said the committee met and agreed on a module that would enable it to conduct an open and fair investigation into the operation of fuel subsidy in the country.

The joint committee, he added, would first meet with heads of government agencies involved in operation of fuel subsidy after which memoranda would be invited from interested members of the public.

He said:“The meeting with heads of government agencies will be open, We want to assure Nigerians that the investigation will be transparent and open and whatever we get will be passed over to the Senate to draw its conclusion.

“The first meeting with heads of government agencies is important in order for the joint committee to be fully briefed for us to understand issues involved.

“It is not a witch hunt, there is no preconceived mindset, we are going into it with open mind, we will be transparent in the way we go about the assignment.”

Senator Bukola Saraki, who sponsored the motion that led to the probe had claimed that unless urgent steps were taken, the Federal Government may spend N1.3 trillion on fuel subsidy at the end of the year.

Saraki, who represents Kwara Central, noted that the amount was far above N240 billion provided in the 2011 budget for fuel subsidy.

Senate President David Mark referred to the existence of a “cabal and mafia” in the nation’s oil industry.

Nigerians expect the joint committee to unmask the cabal and members of the mafia operating in the oil industry.

Observers however felt that the investigation may have failed even before it started following admission by the joint committee that it needed briefing before the actual probe.

Mrs Okonjo Iweala, Mrs Allison-Madueke and their Labour counterpart Emeka Wogu will today meet with Labour and civil society groups in Abuja on the controversial policy.

The roundtable discussion is at the instance of Initiative for Peace and Industrial Harmony, a group which claims to be “an open platform of life-long students union and labour veterans who have fought and are still fighting against social injustice.”

The meeting is targeted at resolving all differences and manage disagreements with respect to challenges of petroleum subsidy withdrawal devoid of any strike or disruption to economic and political life of the nation thereby preventing national crisis.

Others expected at the meeting include Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), ActionAid International, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

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