During the era of General Sani Abacha GCFR (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998), there was the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC). The committee had its office at the seventh floor of the Federal Secretariat, Abuja. The committee was a co-pilot in the execution of economic policies for the country. The committee’s work was later inherited by General Abdusalam Abubakar GCFR (81) following the death of General Sani Abacha and then by President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR (87) in May 1999. 

The committee was established by Decree 17 of February 1994. It was headed by Professor Samuel Adepoju Aluko (August 18, 1929 – February 7, 2012) from Ode in Ekiti state.  Professor Aluko played advisory to Chief Obafemi Awolowo (6 March 1909-9 May 1987), Chief Adekunle Ajasin (28 November 1908 – 3 October 1997), General Yakubu Gowon GCFR (89) and General Sani Abacha GCFR (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998). He was very close to Ikemmba of Nnewi, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu (4 November 1933 – 26 November 2011), before, during and after the civil war.

The first military coup and the events that led to the civil war met him in Eastern Nigeria and it was at that time that he formed a personal friendship with the secessionist leader, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu.

 In fact he advised Chief Ojukwu to go into exile to Cote Ivoire instead of Togo or Tanzania or France.

In one of his interviews with THE SUN Newspaper before he died, Professor Aluko explained that Chief Ojukwu did not fully understand the average Igbo mind since he did not visit the Old Eastern Region until General Aguisi Ironsi GCFR (3 March 1924- 29 July 1966)appointed him the Military Governor of the Eastern Region in January 1966.

Those within government will attest that the bond between Professor Aluko and General Sani Abacha helped tremendously in the creation of Ekiti state on October 1, 1996. Instead of flying to Abuja via Akure or Ibadan or Lagos while serving as NEIC Chairman, Professor Aluko would drive in his Peugeot 504 station wagon car from Ode in Ekiti state most often carrying plantain from his farm during weekends.

Alhaji Lawal Garuba, a friend, the son of a Muslim Scholar in Kano and a businessman, is never tired of telling anyone how Professor Aluko took him to General Sani Abacha to seek for a favour even at the detriment of General Sani Abacha’s close friend, Alhaji Dan Kabo.

He was a down to earth man, who practiced what he preached. He never spared anyone if you are on the wrong route no matter who you are, even if you are his first son, Professor Mobolaji Ebenezer Aluko (69), the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Otueke, Bayelsa State from 2011 to 2016.

Professor Aluko’s brand of economic policy was critical of ostentatious government spending. When he returned from London, he became an informal adviser to the Action Group. He was appointed to head its austerity committee which was set up to find ways to save money. The committee recommended the slashing of allowances provided to ministers and political office holders, an idea that was not well supported by some of the political class within the party.

 In 1962, Professor Aluko was approached to serve as the regional economic adviser of the Western region. His salary was to be £2,942, at that time, he was a lecturer at University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University earning an annual wage of £1000. He accepted the offer on the condition that his new salary be reduced to the level he was paid at Ife stating that he will not be more productive at the new job than what he was doing at Ife. But this condition was rejected by the government.

While Professor Aluko was at Ile-Ife, he was a member of an informal advisory committee of AG, along with Professor Wole Soyinka (89), Professor Victor Oyenuga  (April 9, 1917 – April 10, 2010), Dr Odumosu and a couple of other lecturers. This group were strongly in favor of an idealistic party, a democratic socialist party that believed in curbing executive excesses, the advisory group also split with some members of the political class in terms how to engage with the national government and branching out of the Western region. Chief Obafemi Awolowo positively received some of the recommendations of this group but his deputy, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola who was now premier of the region did not like most of the recommended policies.

In 1965, when Professor Saburi Biobaku  (1918–2001), the deputy Vice-Chancellor of UNIFE advised all lecturers to support the party of the day, which was NNDP, a splinter group of the Action Group led by Chief Samuel Akintola,  Professor Aluko sided with Awolowo’s side of the Action Group who were receptive of the recommendations offered by the Ife group. Professor Aluko offered to resign and gave a 3 month notice, the resignation was accepted immediately and he was ordered to vacate official premises as soon as possible, he left the university and joined the economics department of University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Before the January 1966 coup, Professor Aluko addressing a youth conference had tasked the youths to be less tribal and engage with one another to unite the regions.

Professor Aluko’s views on economic growth and public finance was less elitist and was to approach decision making by using the federal, state and local government institutions as an instrument of growing the national economy. Professor Aluko’s view was drawing funds through higher rates of taxation and tracking tax defaulters to generate government income.

In interviews, columns and public lectures, Professor Aluko supported measures to increase workers productivity through better supervision and cutting of waste such as subsidized rent and allowances to government employees. These measures are capable of increasing government revenues that could fund policies to reduce unemployment and rural development.

As oil production increased in Nigeria in the 1970s, Professor Aluko was still inclined to support the thought that the state can be an engine of industrialization through funding of technical education, agriculture extension and infrastructural development. With a technical literate populace, the adoption and local reproduction of technology will be feasible. In addition, introducing mechanized farming will increase the income level of commercial farmers and the taxable income of government.

Professor Aluko’s support for mechanized farming meant balanced assistance to surplus producing commercial farmers and technical and educational assistance to small scale farmers to become surplus producing farmers. Small scale subsistence farmers who mostly live in the rural areas will use some the additional income to buy more affordable productive instruments. A strong believer in planning, it became important in agricultural planning for the development of a locally initiated agriculture instruments industries to save foreign exchange and produce affordable instruments for small scale farmers.

During General Ibrahim Babangida’s administration, Professor Aluko still steadfastly held on to the thought that the tiers of government had a major role to play in developing the economy. He was critical of the liberalization prescriptions of the structural adjustment programme adopted by the government.

Professor Aluko’s trouble with Structural Adjustment Programme also extended to the multilateral institutions who made the recommendations and the Nigerian economists who followed the dictates of Western capitalist thought. Professor Aluko faulted the benefits of free market currency devaluation and high interest rates that came after the programme was implemented.

Professor Aluko married his wife, Joyce Amomogha (September 20, 1934- March 5 2021) from  Ekpoma in Esan West local government area of  Edo state on valentine’s  day in 1955. He had his education at Christ’s Secondary School, Ado Ekiti, 1942-1945, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, 1955-1959; lecturer, Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Ibadan, 1959-1962, lecturer, University of Ife,Ile- Ife, 1962-1964, senior lecturer and head, Department of Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1964-1966, reader in Economics, 1966-67, dean, Faculty of Social Science, University of Ife, 1968-1970, chairman, College of Humanities, University of Ife, 1972-1973, appointed Professor and head, Department of Economics, University of Ife, Nigeria, 1967; member, International Economic Association, member, American Economic Association, member, Royal Economic Society, member, International Association of Agricultural Economists, member, Nigerian Economic Society, member, World Council of Churches Advisory Committee on Technical Services; chairman, Election Planning  Committee, Action Group Party, Nigeria, 1964-1968.

While serving as Chairman of National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC), we often met in the elevator of the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, since I worked on the eleventh floor at the office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation.

 General Sani Abacha made him a member of the Federal Executive Council and always differed to him on Economic issues during council deliberations. 

Other members of the committee were Brig-Gen. G.A. Mohammed, a Quantity Surveyor from  Borno State who was the Secretary. The rest were Dr. Haroun Adamu (Bauchi), Dr. Dalhatu Araf (Nassarawa), Alhaji Umaru Audi (Niger) , Alhaji Musa Bello (Adamawa), Alhaji U.K. Bello (Kebbi), Mr. Walter Ekwensi (Imo), Barrister Eugene Madu (Anambra),   Princess (Mrs.) A.O. Oguneye (Ekiti), Dr. Ode Ojowu (Benue), Mr. Babatunde Sangokunle (Ogun), Alhaji Nasiru Maitama Sule (Kano), Comrade Godwin Uluocha (Abia) 

In November 1995, Mr. Walter Ekwensi died and was replaced by Mr. Donald Duke, a Barrister, from Cross-River State.

In December 1997, the Secretary, Major-General Garba Ali Mohammed was appointed the Minister of Works and Housing and in August 1998, Princess (Mrs.) A.O. Oguneye was appointed the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.  In March 1999, Dr. Haroun Adamu was appointed Member/Secretary of the Presidential Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC) by the President-Elect, General Olusegun Obasanjo. Barrister Donald Duke was elected Governor of Cross River State in January, 1999.  Both Barrister Donald Duke and Dr. Haroun Adamu resigned their appointments from NEIC as a result of their new positions.

When the committee was formed in 1994, the following were part of the committee’s responsibilities:

Functions of the Committee

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2) of section 1 of this Act, the Committee shall –

(a) analyse the annual budget and extract all economic measures requiring enforcement;

(b) work out details on the method of enforcing implementation of the annual budget;

(c) analyse the monetary guidelines issued by the  Central Bank of Nigeria (in this Act referred to as “the Bank”) and monitor the implementation of all the measures enumerated therein;

(d) monitor and identify factors inhibiting the realisation of set revenue targets such as tax evasion by individuals or association of individuals, and bodies corporate in the private and public sectors of the economy; (e) enforce the implementation of existing tax legislation; (f) assess the report on any project being carried out by the Federal Government and confirm that funds released for Federal Government projects are judiciously utilised;

(g) monitor and report to the Federal Government,  on quarterly basis, the inflationary rate, the consumer price index and such other growth indices on output, liquidity and cost of funds, transportation costs, fuel prices and other related tariffs;(h) recommend any increase or decrease of price on manufactured goods;(i) monitor the supply and demand of forex, the gap and factors affecting the markets sales and indicated rates, use of forex and operation of the market;

(j) consider any issue appropriate and relevant to the subject of revenue collection; (k) give a situation report of all its activities  on quarterly basis to the Federal Government; (l) ensure that any defaulter of any of the issues mentioned above or any other matter related thereto is brought before the Federal High Court; and (m) consider such other matters as may be referred to it from time to time by the President.

5. Powers of the Committee

The Committee shall have power to- (a) invite any person, group of persons or body corporate to appear before it; (b) call for memoranda from any person, association of individuals or bodies corporate, whether public or private; (c) ask for copies of reports, audited accounts or such other information as may be required for the purposes of the Committee and in whatever manner if deems fit from any person or association of individuals and body corporate whether public or private; (d) monitor any matter to the extent that it affects the functions of the Committee; (e) enforce foreign exchange regulations and cause offenders to be prosecuted; and (f) enter and inspect premises, project sites and  such other places as may be necessary for the purposes of carrying out its functions under this Act.

6. Directives by the President

(1) The President may give to the Committee such directives as appear to him to be just and proper for the effective discharge of the functions of the Committee under this Act. (2) It shall be the duty of the Committee to comply with any directives given pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. (3) Any decision reached by the President in accordance with this Act, shall be final and binding and notwithstanding the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1979, as amended, no suit or legal action in any court of law or tribunal shall be filed against any person for any act done or intended to be done in pursuance of any decision of the President.

Chief Paul Agbai Ogwuma (91) from Abayi in Imo state was governor of Central Bank at that time  while both Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu (84) from Ohafia in Abia state and Chief Anthony Ani (87) from Odukpani local government area of Cross River State served as Ministers of Finance under General Sani Abacha. At that time brilliant economists were running the economy of the country.

At that time also, there was the National Council of Nigerian Vision (NCNV), the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC) and the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC).

On March 25, 1998, the three bodies were merged together and they formed the Capital budget Monitoring Team. I was one of the Masters of Ceremony at the event, along with Ikenna Ndaguba (1935-2011). The inauguration was performed by the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Gidado Idris GCON (15 March 1935- 15 December 2017)

The terms of reference of the team were to verify the judicious utilization of funds allocated to all Ministers and Parastatals for capital projects. Specifically, they were to verify that: the capital projects of the Ministries are prioritized, funds are used for the purpose for which they are allocated, funds are released to projects as and when due, the provisions of Financial Instructions are strictly observed in disbursement, there is a link between the Federal Ministry of Finance and the various Ministries themselves and the various capital projects they are handling and there is constant collaboration between the Monitoring Agencies, i.e. National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC), Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC), National Council of Nigerian Vision (NCNV), National Population Commission (NPC), and the internal ministerial monitoring units.

The following persons served in the Capital Budget Monitoring Team. They were Alhaji A. Mohammed, Professor (Mrs) E. Eke, Princess (Mrs) A. Oguneye, Mr. M.S. Hamid, Mr. C.D. Gali, Dr. A.A. Owosekun, Alabo T. Graham-Douglas, Mr. Eugene C. Madu, Professor T.O. Olowokere, Professor Gini Mbanefo, Mr. A.G. Oladuntoye, Mr. C.C. Chukwura, Mr. Idakwo, Alhaji B. Albasu, Mr. I.O. Shangotola, Comrade G.O. Uluocha, Mr S.O.O. Osanyintuyi, Mr. J.O. Olaniyi, Engineer V. Ogunmakin, Professor T.A. Omobighe, Mr. Adams Oshiomole, Dr. Ode Ojowu, Mr. S.O. Majoroh, Mr. A.T. Ikomi, Alhaji K. Bashir, Professor Anya O. Anya, Professor U.D. Gomwalk, Alhaji Nasiru Maitama Sule, Mr. Olu Akindutire, Mr. A. Adejuwon, Alhaji A. Jimoh, Professor S.A. Aluko, Chief P.C. Asiodu, Dr. H.R. Adamu, Professor Munzali Jibril, Mr. O.G. Okoye, Mr. J.B. Ilori, Mr. Tunji Olaopa, Alhaji S.Y. Hamma, Alhaji Ballam Manu and Mr. Donald Duke.

Although General Sani Abacha GCFR abused the system by enriching himself fantastically, it was Professor Aluko’s committee that pegged the official rate of N22 to 1 dollar.

The committee also recommended the following: There will be no bidding or allocation of foreign Exchange at the CBN, every company, individual or organization shall source foreign exchange requirements in the autonomous market, CBN shall hold the official foreign exchange, and from time to time, intervene in the autonomous market, all government parastals, government companies, agencies and government majority owned companies and organizations, exploration and production oil companies, and oil service companies, recipients of foreign of loans and grants must continue to maintain these foreign exchange currently domiciliary accounts with CBN which shall purchase such funds as and when necessary at the prevailing autonomous rates, operation of the domiciliary accounts shall be authorized and export proceeds and other repatriation in-flows shall be held in domiciliary accounts which shall be held and maintained with any authorized bank in Nigeria.

The beneficiaries of domiciliary accounts shall have unfettered use of funds contained therein, Interbank autonomous market shall operate freely and for the avoidance of doubt, no oil processing company shall be permitted to operate a foreign exchange market in Nigeria. The main actors in IFEM shall be the bank and bureau de change, with CBN intervening from time to time and Bureau de change shall be allowed to buy notes and coins and travelers cheques freely but shall sell only notes and coins up to a maximum of US$2500 per transaction. Buying and sale of notes and buying of travelers cheque by bureau de change shall be at autonomous market rate subject to a margin of 2%.

For better or worse the committee also recommended the promulgation of Failed Banks (Recovery of debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks No. 18 of 1994, advances free fraud and other Fraud related offences decree 1995 (otherwise known as “419 decree”) and the Money laundering Decree of 1995.

Persons charged under the decree are to face the Miscellaneous Offences Tribunal.

After the death of General Sani Abacha, the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC) played fewer roles especially during the tenure of General Abdusalam Abubakar. However, on Monday, November 8, 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo revived the committee when he appointed Dr. Ibrahim Ayagi (1940-2020) as Chairman of the committee.

While inaugurating Dr. Ayagi as chairman of NEIC, President Obasanjo declared, “The development effort since independence has been characterized by huge public investments in all sectors of the economy. If we stop to take stock of total public expenditure in the nearly forty-years of our independence, we would find the sum-total to be staggering. Yet, in spite of these staggering expenditures, and in spite of our vast human and material resources, we have made only minimal progress with alleviating the sufferings of the majority of our people”.

Though the short-comings of our development process include policy inconsistency as well as wrong policy prescription and articulation, the real problem is with policy implementation. Thousands of Government projects which were initiated two or more decades ago, remain uncompleted. These projects include the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, the Paper Mills at Iwopin, Jebba and Oku lboku ; the Oshogbo Machine Tools and a number of multi-purpose dam projects, roads, etc. This situation is aggravated by the manifest inability to maintain existing structures. Those projects completed have been badly mismanaged and badly run down. In addition, corruption and lack of transparency have become formidable impediments to the efficient allocation and use of resources. They have become all-pervasive and pose severe, if not mortal, danger to our moral and civil responsibilities and commitments as a nation.

As you are already well aware, this Administration is committed to poverty alleviation through rapid economic growth and development. We will ensure efficient use of resources, speedy implementation of projects and we will tirelessly light against corruption and indiscipline. The task before us is enormous and all hands must be on deck if we are to succeed. It is in this connection that this Administration has decided to reconstitute the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC)”.

President Obasanjo then weakened the committee’s power by placing it under the Minister of Economic matters, Chief Vincent Eze Ogbulafor  (24 May 1949 – 6 October 2022. He said the legal instrument under which NEIC was established would be revised. With that the committee could no longer monitor the supervision of the implementation of capital projects in various ministries.

During the tenure of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR (66), the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC) was scrapped. Till today, it has not been revived. In the presence circumstance we are at the moment, we may need to take another look at some of the measures recommended by the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC).

Palpable fear has gripped communities in  Plateau State after unmen suspected to be bandits attacked Zurak and Bankalala villages in Bashar District of Wase local government area of Plateau State, killing more than 50 residents, including vigilantes, and injuring others in the process.

A LEADERSHIP investigation revealed that several houses were razed by the rampaging gunmen.

The residents of the community said the incident occurred at about 7pm on Monday when people in the community were going about their normal activities, but that they could not report the incident due to the poor communication network in the area.

Earlier, the death toll was put at 40, but last night, it increased to 50.

A traditional ruler in Wase, Alhaji Ahmed Lawal, said the death toll had risen to 50 persons, adding that the victims had since been buried in the area according to Muslim rites.

Sahpi’i Sambo, a youth leader in the area, who also confirmed the incident to our correspondent, said the bandits arrived at the community on motorcycles – two to a bike – armed with sophisticated weapons and started shooting sporadically at everyone on sight.

He said, “More than 40 people were killed while many others were injured. Residents of the village have fled to neighbouring communities. As of yesterday, security personnel had not yet arrived at the community. It was a deadly attack,” Sambo said.

Similarly confirming the killing to LEADERSHIP, the information officer of Wase local government area, Daniel Manwan, said from the information made available to im, over 30 people were killed in Bankalala village while operatives of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) pursued and killed three of the bandits at Zurak village.

“As I speak to you the entire villages are deserted for fear of the unknown,” he said.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, was yet to respond to the inquiry by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report. Also, the state government had yet speak on the incident as of the time of filing the report.

Deadly attacks on Plateau communities have been frequent in the last decade. One such attack in January left nearly 300 residents dead in more than 20 communities, showing the attack was well-coordinated.

 [Leadership]

Governor Similanayi Fubara of Rivers State has said he started taking decision as a governor in February, 2024.

Fubara, who spoke on Tuesday at Egbeda Community Secondary School field, venue of the inauguration of some internal roads project in Emohua Local Government Area, inaugurated by Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, reiterated that the projects people were seeing were accomplishments of four months.

He said good governance, service and projects were being delivered at a cost-effective rate.

He said, “We are just starting but I assure you of more attention. If in four months, we can do this, and we are getting this level of applause, you can imagine what will happen when we do one year of our record time, two years of our own record time, Rivers State would have experienced something different from the regular governance.

“I know why I said four months. We started full governance in February, 2024. That was when we started taking decisions, when we started confronting governance. And I am proud to say that our people are happy with what we have done.

“What we want to do is to bring governance to our people, service delivery at record time, and in a cost effective way.

“Everything that we are doing is in my white paper. I carry it along, so, there is no issue of any manipulation. Call me any day, anytime, it is there. Even the ones I did before this time, I still have all the records.

“If you call me any day, I will bring the records of all my activities in government, because I know that as a civil servant, what is most important is record keeping; so that if you are not there, and something happens, it is just for somebody to pick up the file and he will see the history.

“That is how I am trained, and I have that in my mind before I do anything. So, I am not scared of anything. Anybody who calls me any day, anytime, I have my records to show. I have all the approvals to show that I acted based on approval and not personal decision.”

The governor assured that his administration would continue to deliver projects that impact positively on the people directly while also empowering them to live better lives.

He stated that the Egbeda Internal Roads Project had been accomplished to both satisfy the needs of the people by making them happy and solving the perennial flooding problems experienced in the area.

The Governor acknowledged the support of the people before, during and after the elections, saying what his administration owes them is the dividends of democracy that included projects and social service delivery.

Performing the inauguration of the project,Oborevwori said he drove with Fubara on the road while accessing the venue of the event, and can testify of the commitment of his brother governor to sustain infrastructure development in the State.

He said, “This road project at Egbeda bears true testimony of the commitment of the Rivers State Government towards fulfilling its promise of sustainable infrastructure development of the State.

“It is reassuring that these all-season roads will economically empower, not only the people of Egbeda, but the entire Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.”

[https://newsdirect.ng]

A former Director-General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Akin Osuntokun, has said the only condition that can make the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, consider returning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is if he will be given the presidential ticket.

The PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had recently said that if in 2027, the party decided that it is the South-East’s turn and picked Obi as its candidate, he would readily offer his support.

“I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if the PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party.

“If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him,” Atiku declared in a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service.

He also said that a merger between the PDP and Labour Party is possible.

Responding to the development, Osuntokun said that with Obi’s large support base in the last general elections, the only chance of him accepting to join the PDP is if he would be offered the party’s presidential ticket.

He said, “Peter Obi going back to the PDP would have to depend on the circumstances and the assurances from the political godfathers of the PDP. The thing is that it’s unrealistic to expect someone who has run for the president to now accept to be a running mate for whoever assumes the superior position.

“That’s because Obi has a unique political appeal among Nigerians. If it’s possible to do it like the way they do in the United States by analyzing the demographic groups that support each candidate, we would find a situation in which Obi carried about 90 per cent of the youth population. And if he chooses to be a running mate, those people are going to be disappointed and offended.

“The only way that Peter Obi could consider returning to the PDP is if he would be given the party’s presidential ticket. Otherwise, he would not embark on a futile exercise. Because if he becomes a running mate in PDP, he will lose a lot of his support. He would be demonized as a sellout.

“So I can’t see the point of his going back to the PDP other than being its presidential candidate.”

[DailyTrust]

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections in Enugu State, Barr Chijioke Edeoga has described as scary and unconstitutional, the gale of demolitions recently carried out by the Enugu State Government in some parts of the state.

Edeoga, who accused the state government under the administration of Governor Peter Mbah of disobeying court orders and usurping the constitutional powers of local government areas, said demolishing people’s places of business without plans for alternative places will increase the suffering of the people.

Recall that the Enugu State Government recently demolished many parts of Enugu.

The demolitions, which have affected the Holy Ghost transport hub in the state capital and the Ogige Market in Nsukka, among other places, are being embarked upon to build standard motor parks in the affected areas.

But in a statement he issued on Thursday morning, the Labour Party governorship candidate also lamented the destruction of a private polytechnic belonging to a charismatic preacher and founder of Madonna University, Rev. F. Emmanuel Ede, expressing dismay that the government went to demolish the institution of higher learning in defiance of an order of the court.

“If there have been suspicions that the administration in Enugu State is insensitive to public sentiment and disdainful of the rule of law, the demolition of OSISATECH tended to validate it.

“It is scary that a government that swore to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is routinely disobeying court orders,” Edeoga said in the statement

He also lamented the demolition of a foremost hotel in Nsukka belonging to a nationalist and pre-independent politician, the late Chief Charles Abangwu, saying such actions were indicative of the insensitivity of the government to the plights of the people.

“The demolition of shops, a section of the Ogige Market, and Premier Hotel are also quite troubling.

“This is because of the dislocation of hundreds of businesses on which the livelihoods of ordinary people and their families are dependent.

“Interestingly, these businesses were forced, only a few months ago, to pay huge taxes and levies on those shops. It is curious that the Enugu State Government waited until it had collected these levies and taxes before destroying the sources of those funds,” the statement continued.

Continuing the LP governorship candidate said: “While it is understood that some of those areas demolished have constituted challenges of congestion and are due for some form of urban renewal, it must be recognized that no urban renewal activity has ever happened in one fell swoop.

“Development, especially as it affects urban renewal is an incremental activity that takes cognizance of impacts on persons and businesses.

“A government that is genuinely focused on renewal approaches such changes with the well-being of the people as its priority.

“This is why it raises serious concerns that the government of Enugu State began these activities without any form of consultation with the people and communities affected.

“More serious is the fact that there was no plan for relocation of those businesses to other locations before the demolition.”

While admitting that many parts of the state needed renewal, he wondered why the government failed to make a relocation and compensation plan before demolishing the properties.

“The essence of government everywhere in the world is the aggregation of the needs of the people into a pool where common solutions are incubated; it is the building of consensus on what constitutes the common good bearing in mind the social, economic, and even personal sensitivities.

“Democratic legitimacy ultimately belongs to the people, and that is why everything governments do must factor in the sensitivity of all concerned.

“But it appears that in Enugu State, under the current administration, the government considered its needs to be higher and more important than those of the people.

“There is no clearer sign that the needs of the people were not considered unimportant by the government than the lack of consultation that preceded these actions.

“The disobedience by the government, of a court order against the demolition, is also viewed by every right-thinking member of society as inherently tyrannical,” Edeoga continued.

He called on the government to take urgent steps to compensate all the people affected by the demolitions, build new markets and accommodate them without cost, and demonstrate respect for the laws and orders of the courts.

“The Enugu State Government must take immediate steps to respect court orders as is the practice in every civilized democratic country.

“A culture of disrespect to the judiciary is tantamount to disloyalty to the Constitution which provides for three independent arms of government that act as checks on one another,” Edeoga concluded.

• ‘Ex-Anambra governor got it wrong’

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in last year’s general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has criticised the Federal Government for allocating N1 billion for the construction of hostels in 12 tertiary institutions.

He described the government’s action as financial recklessness and misplacement of priorities in the allocation of funds.

In a statement by the spokesman of Peter Obi Media Reach, Yunusa Tanko, the LP stalwart described as unacceptable the continued deployment of public resources to nonessential areas of development.

He highlighted what he called the poor and embarrassing position of Nigeria in the global average in school enrollment.

Obi alleged that despite the poor standing, the government was “budgeting a paltry N1 billion for the construction of hostels in 12 tertiary institutions in Nigeria while N10 billion is going for the building of car parks and recreational facilities”.

In a post on his X (formerly twitter) handle, the former Anambra State governor said: “As the giant of Africa, which we are, I remain concerned about our fiscal indiscipline as a nation.

“Imagine the situation in our Education sector where the global average of secondary school enrollment is above 80 per cent, while Nigeria is 28 per cent.

“The global Average of Tertiary School enrollment is above 55 per cent, while Nigeria is less than 15 per cent.

“Yet, our budget for the National Assembly Car Parks is N6 billion. The budget for the National Assembly Recreational Facilities is N4 billion.

“Approved for the Construction of Hostels in 12 tertiary institutions is just N1 billion. It is time for us to stop this financial indiscipline and embrace financial discipline by prioritising the allocation of resources to the critical areas of human and national development.”

But an aide to the President on Information, who craved anonymity, said the former Anambra State governor got his facts wrong.

He said the government planned to spend N12 billion (N1 billion each) as special intervention for the provision of hostels in the selected higher institutions.

The aide said: “Playing an opposition goes beyond dancing to the gallery. How can someone who aspired to be president be amplifying and elevating falsehoods. It is not compulsory that he must comment on every policy, especially on the one he has little or no knowledge about.”

[TheNation]

The faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday, screened and confirmed eight commissioners-designate as members of the State Executive Council.

The Assembly, led by the Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo,  screened the nominees during their sitting at the temporary legislative chambers at the Administrative Block of the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Two former commissioners, Dr Peter Medee and Eloka Tasie-Amadi, who served under the immediate-past administration of Nyesom Wike, as Energy and Works Commissioners, respectively were asked by the House to take a bow and leave.

The other six nominees were asked few questions by the pro-Fubara lawmakers and were consequently given a clean bill of health as commissioners-designate. 

The exit of five pro-Wike commissioners last week had created vacancies in the cabinet.

The commissioners resigned their position amid the feud between Wike and Fubara, citing a toxic working environmental for their decision to leave.

The Speaker, on Tuesday, charged the screened commissioners-designate to join hands with Fubara towards delivering the dividends of democracy to Rivers people.

He also advised the governor not to be distracted but to continue the good work he was doing.

Victor Oko-Jumbo said, “As a legislature what we can do is to ensure that we create an atmosphere where His Excellency will do more.

“While we commend His Excellency for his numerous achievements in office we also use this opportunity to call on His Excellency not to be distracted. We call on him to remain focused on the mandate that the people of Rivers State have given to him.

“We also call on him not to be biased. He should continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people.”

Speaking to newsmen after the screening, the Leader of the House, Sokari Goodboy, commended the governor for the calibre of people sent to the House for screening.

“Today we held our sitting and in the order paper we had the screening of eight commissioners and we know too well that the executive arm of the State needs to be filled and we are happy and proud of the nominees.

“The names the Governor forwarded to us are all men of great repute. They have good Curriculum Vitae. Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie as the Speaker of the third Assembly during that period the seat of 25 members was declared vacant,” Goodboy said.

[Punch]

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has explained their constant interactions with, and regulations for, financial technology companies, fintechs.

The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, gave the explanation yesterday in Abuja while announcing the new interest rate.

Citing the need to rein in inflation and achieve price stability, the CBN raised its benchmark interest rate, the Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, by 150 basis points to 26.25 percent from 24.75 percent. It is the third raise less than three months. 

However, the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, added that there was no magic wand to tackling the inflationary challenges.

But he expressed optimism that the various tools deployed by the bank to tame inflation and create a stable foreign exchange market would yield the needed results in the coming months.

These were announced yesterday, Tuesday, during the press briefing of the 295th monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja.

Inflation had sustained upswing for over 13 months hitting 33.69 percent Year-on- Year, YoY, fueled by food inflation.

Fintechs…

On Fintech companies, the CBN Governor explained that the move to tighten regulations around their operations.

He noted that it was not aimed at putting them out of business but to ensure that the Nigerian public obtains the maximum benefit from the sector.

“The Fintechs have definitely not been singled out for any exceptional kind of treatment.

“On the contrary we are very proud of what the Fintechs, over the years, have been able to do for the country and the positive impact it has been having not just in the country but worldwide.

“It is for us to support them and help them to strengthen what they have been able to accomplish,” he stated.

However, he noted, the CBN was concerned about illicit flows and money laundering through the sector.

He said these crimes created the need for heightened surveillance of the sector.

Cardoso stated that despite the increase in regulatory guidelines, no Fintech organization has had its licence revoked by the CBN.

“We have had conversations with a number of them. And we have explained the need for them take another look at what they are doing and the need to strengthen them,” Cardoso, the CBN boss explained.

Vanguard News

This day, three years ago, an unprecedented event in Nigeria’s history occurred. The country’s 21st Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, died alongside ten other officers and men in an air crash. Attahiru was only in office for three months, yet he came across as an extraordinarily purposeful and committed gentleman officer and Nigerian. His mission to Kaduna State, where the unfortunate incident abruptly ended his big dreams for the country, indicated his commitment to reforming the Nigerian Army!

In addition to an urgent desire to improve the welfare of Army officers and men, Attahiru was emphatic about raising the quality of training the Army offered its personnel. He matched this belief with action.

During his brief stay at his office that fateful morning, one of the few people he saw was the then Chief of Training at Army Headquarters, Major Gen. Okwudili Azinta. They, for the umpteenth time, discussed the event scheduled for the next day at the Nigeria Army Depot, Zaria. The depot is the institution that trains army recruits, and it was the passing-out- parade of a new set of recruits on Saturday, May 22. Attahiru felt it was essential to be there to boost the morale of these new entrants before their deployment to the different formations of the Army where they would serve. Azinta testifies in the former chief of Army’s staff posthumous biography: The Man, The Soldier, The Patriot, the biography of Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru that: “he was interested in training officers and men, right from recruits to the most senior officers…”

He took the encouragement and mobilisation of his officers and men personally. However, the issue about the depot was not just about welfare; it also concerned the men’s training. A few times in previous weeks, Attahiru and Azinta had conversations about the need to improve the quality of instruction and the curriculum at the depot to improve the quality of products and enhance effective deployments of recruits. To move their discussions along, Azinta, during their encounter that morning, promised to stay back in Zaria after the Saturday event and hold sessions on achieving this chief’s aim. Unfortunately, the COAS and his team never saw the day.

Attahiru’s unfortunate passing alongside some of his closest aides on that flight shook the nation to its foundations. Officers and men who travelled and died with the former Chief of Army Staff included Acting Chief of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Abdulkadir Kuliya; Chief of Staff to the late COAS, Brigadier General Mohammed Idris Abdulkadir; Acting Provost Marshal, Brigadier General Olatunji Lukman Olayinka, Aide-De-Camp to the COAS, Major Lawal Aliyu Hayat, and Major Nura Hamza, Flight Lieutenant Taiwo Olufemi Asaniyi, Flight Lieutenant Alfred Ayodeji Olufade, Sergeant Opeyemi Isaiah Adesina, Sergeant Umar Saidu and Aircraftman (ACM) Olamide Matthew Oyedepo.

In his very short tenure, Nigerians got a sense that their security would be more assured. He spoke about it but also acted. One such action, which the late COAS, noted for his readiness to lead from the front took, was the dramatic recovery of some territories captured by Boko Haram insurgents in February 2021. He visited the war theatre on Sunday, February 21 2021, and motivated the force to recapture the territories taken by the insurgents within 48 hours. He addressed them as follows:

“I bring you very special greetings from the President and Commander-in-.-Chief of the Armed Forces.

“I present myself as your Chief of Army Staff. To get to meet you and you get to know me as well.

“The essence of this visit is operational. The idea is to motivate you.

“In the last few days, we have had attacks in your area of responsibility. It is high time we get back and fight through and support our forces ahead of you.

“Areas around Marte, Chikingudo, Kirenowa, and Kirta, Wulgo must be cleared within 48 hours. Rest assured of all the support required in this onerous task.

“I have just spoken to your Theatre Commander, General Officer Commanding, you cannot let this nation down. You must go there and do the needful, and I will be right behind you.

“You have presented certain issues that came up; Overstay of soldiers, sooner rather than later; we will address.

“Where there are no adequate A and B vehicles, we will provide.

“With those few remarks, I wish you well on the operation, and I know the morale remains high.”

The soldiers picked up the gauntlet and recovered the territories within 24 hours! Apart from Marte’s dramatic recovery, Attahiru’s “take the attack to the enemy” principle had an enduring impact on the fortunes of the Nigerian forces, with the surrender of about 35,000 Boko Haram fighters. He knew where he was going with his strategy and told anyone he discussed the issue with that Boko Haram would, “Insha Allah,” be history before the end of 2021. Sadly, the man of vision did not live to see the end of the year as he purposed!

But visionaries who pursue and share their dreams do not die with their visions; this is the joy about Attahiru. The patriot in him fought like every day was his last. One of the rapid steps he took was to emphasise and spread the gospel of unity in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria.

Attahiru believed that the military must unite to fight the war. As a first signpost, he changed the operation’s name in the country’s North-East from Lafiya do le (Peace by force) to Hadin Kai, which means “heads put together!” The COAS and his colleagues in the Air Force and Navy did not leave their subordinates in doubt as to the determination to get the three forces working together in unison, and this brought significant successes, which their successors are now building on.

Testifying to Attahiru’s vision on this front, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao (rtd), says in his tribute to his late course mate and colleague: “We were together at the forefront of the counter-insurgency operation. We crafted strategies to combat insurgency and other security challenges with high aspirations. We had similar visions with the fundamentals of joint operations and synergy as a cornerstone of our strategy.”

Attahiru also spread his belief in the Theory of the Trinity, which speaks to the essential partnership between the Army, the government, and the people. He was convinced that the Nigerian Army needed to seek the understanding and earn the trust of the Nigerian people in its commitment to improve security. His idea of putting heads together also involved other security and intelligence agencies, the local communities, and the media. His strategy was to promote community-based intelligence and tactical efficiency. He wanted a better understanding between the Army and the mass media. Seeing the media as the intermediary between the Army and the people, he felt that the partnership between the two must be robust. To foster this, he promptly approved training sessions aimed at re-orientating spokespersons for the Army.

He also approved leadership seminars for relevant Army personnel. They planned that these sessions would take place across the country, starting with General Officers Commanding and Brigade Commanders. They hoped that the re-orientation would cascade down, and every member of the Army could begin to see the importance of respecting the rights of Nigerians and the necessity of synergy between the civilian population and the military. The first part of the training, where the former National Human Rights Commission Chairman, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, and others spoke, was held in Ibadan between May 18 and May 20, 2021. The PROs’ training was ongoing in  Abuja simultaneously, as Attahiru believed in firing on all cylinders to achieve success.

Firing on all cylinders endeared him to the Nigerian Army officers and men and many Nigerians. One such person is veteran journalist, television host, and military historian, Mr Babajide Otitoju. In his tribute to Attahiru, the journalist wrote: “He was such an excellent communicator that even the interface between the Army and the civil populace was much better. People were happy to relate to him. Though short, I can tell you that his tenure as Chief of Army Staff was eventful.”

Even though he did not live to accomplish his vision, he was conscious enough to plant the seeds of some of his ideas in the minds of those who came after him and the courage to take bold steps upon which others have built. Honest assessors of the recent history of the Nigerian military will always remember Attahiru’s short term as pacesetting and effectual. And even in death, the late Kaduna State-born General, exemplary husband, father, and humanitarian, remains a patriot who gave his all for the country he loved and served.

May he and the other eleven patriots who died with him continue to rest in peace.

Adedokun is the author of The Man, The Soldier, The Patriot, the biography of Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its operatives in Gombe have arrested a woman, Janty Emmanuel, for abusing the naira at a social event.

In a statement on Tuesday, Dele Oyewale, spokesperson of the EFCC, said Emmanuel was arrested on Monday after she was spotted spraying naira notes at an event.

Oyewale said Emmanuel admitted to committing the crime after being shown a piece of video evidence, adding that the suspect will be charged in court after all investigations have been concluded on the matter.

“Upon arrest, the suspect was shown the video where she was dancing at G-Connect, Tumfure, Gombe State and spraying Naira notes of N1000 denomination,” the statement reads.

“She admitted committing the crime. She will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”

On Monday, the agency announced that it had secured the conviction of 31 individuals involved in illegal currency trading and abuse of the naira in Kano.

Last month, Bobrisky, the social media celebrity, was sentenced to six months in prison for abusing the naira notes.

[TheCable]