Mass Sack Looms In FCT

From LAMBERT TYEM, Abuja, July 06, 2011, sunnews

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Bala Mohammed yesterday warned the top civil servants, especially directors/secretaries in-charge of FCT Administration that many of them would be sacked due to poor performance.

Senator Bala Mohammed made the disclosure at his maiden meeting with Directors of FCTA, FCDA, agencies and parastatals, stressing that the new era would not be business as usual.

According to him, “every strata of the FCT Administration’s workforce must work as a team”, stressed the citizens deserved nothing less than the best quality service.
He said the need for institutional re-positioning to sustain the programmes and projects of the government was paramount in the new dispensation.

“Institutional framework will be established and where it already exists, will be maintained as well as strengthened to enable such strides outlive the present and future crop of leadership of the FCT Administration,” he stated.
The also emphasised that he will reduce the discretional powers of the FCT Minister as in the case in the past and allow other heads in the Administration to add their own imput.

Bala Mohammed urged the Minister of State FCT, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Rtd.) to be strict and hard on the Area Councils in terms of monitoring and supervision of their programmes and projects.
He lamented that the Area Councils are lacking behind in terms of development and lack of satisfactory quality leadership.

He also promised that job will be created to cater for the teeming youths of the Federal Capital Territory; further revealing that strategy is being worked including how to ease transport network in the Federal Capital City as well as emphasise on completion of on-going road network around the Territory.

Also speaking at the meeting, the FCT Minister of State, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Rtd.) assured that residents of the Federal Capital Territory must feel the positive impact of this administration; saying that “we have no reason not to deliver”.
Navy Captain Olubolade reassured that all municipal challenges must be overcome by taking greater initiative for the 36 states of the federation to borrow a leaf.

POLICE STORM BOKO HARAM HIDE-OUT • Kill 3 Suspects, Lose 2 Men • Customs Officer, 3 Others Shot Dead

By ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja, TIMOTHY OLA, Maiduguri, PAUL ORUDE, Bauchi, EMMANUEL ADEYEMI, Lokoja, MARY ALESINLOYE, ANDREW AJIJAH, JOS
July 06, 2011, sunnews

Seven people including two policemen, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC II), and three civilians were on Tuesday killed by the Boko Haram Islamic sect in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The two policemen whose ranks could not be ascertained as at press time were shot dead in Gwange area within three hours. The development came as three members of the Islamic fundamentalists were killed by policemen at their hideout in Bauchi, on Tuesday. Several other members of the sect were injured in the clash.

Bothered by the spate of killings by Boko Haram and the level of insecurity in the country, the Senate met top security chiefs, including National Security Adviser, General Oweye Azazi behind closed door for three hours in Abuja, yesterday. Azazi led the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim and the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) Ita Ekpeyong, to the meeting even as Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Ivy Okoronkwo accompanied Ringim to the parley.

Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) who spoke with newsmen at the end of the session noted that the Senators were specifically briefed on the Boko Haram phenomenon, the arrests made so far and the challenges facing them. He said: “The briefing was extensive and covered every aspect of the security challenges currently facing our country including the Boko Haram phenomenon. Questions were asked, clarifications sought, and were given.

“At the end of the day, I can say with certainty that the security chiefs have assured Nigerians that they are on top of the situation and that these challenges, especially the challenge of the Boko Haram, will be curtailed sooner than later.”
However, some Senators at the meeting told Daily Sun that the security chiefs took their turns to brief the chamber on measures and strategies being put in place to counter insecurity in the country.

“They briefed us on the general security situation of the country. At the end of the day, they all centred on Boko Haram menace; porosity of our borders and infiltration of small arms and ammunition.”
Another ranking Senator who craved anonymity narrated how the security agencies had decided to collaborate on the counter-offensive measures being put together to curtail the menace.

“They told us that they have risen to the challenge and how the problems would be curtailed. The security chiefs left us with the assurance that they were cooperating on the Boko Haram problem. They have started and are still meeting.”
Reacting to the report that members of the dreaded group plan to shift their attacks to Kogi, Benue and Nassarawa States, Lokoja residents called on the Federal Government  to declare a state of emergency in Borno State and set up a special tribunal to try those guilty of bombing and kidnapping saying, the option of President Goodluck Jonatahn to treat the issue with political solution may not bring any tangible results
Many of the residents urged President Goodluck Jonathan to be more firm and radical in his approach to security of lives and property of Nigerians.

A legal practitioner in Kogi State, Mr Ahmadu Umar, said before there could be peace in Borno State or in the North-east where the bombings were rampant, President Jonathan must hold the bull by the horn by declaring a state-of-emergency in Borno state.

“President Jonatahn must not treat this sect called Boko Haram with kid gloves. He should confront them frontally by declaring a state-of-emergency in  Borno State and go ahead to set up a special tribunal to try those caught to be involved in bombings and kidnappings in the country. The special tribunal,” he advised, “should be made up of retired justices and military generals including members of the security agencies and those found guilty should be sentenced to life imprisonment  without an option of fine.’’
Michael Olowojaiye, a retired Army officer also shared the view of Umar as he said unless the Federal Government used Borno State Government to test its will power by declaring a state of emergency there, peace may continue to elude that area.

Olowojaiye however called on the security agencies to identify influential people who may be sponsoring this sect including past and present political office holders in the state, saying, nobody should be above the law.
On Tuesday’s killings in Borno State, sources said one of the slain policemen identified as Babagana Angus was attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the Gwange Divisional Police Station until the early hours of Tuesday when he was shot. 

Daily Sun gathered that the gunmen had stormed Babagana’s residence at Gwange at about 11 am on a motorcycle and disappeared as soon as their mission was accomplished. A police operational vehicle was seen with the corpse of Babagana in front of the Accident and Emergency Unit of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) at about 12.30 pm.

But less than three hours after the killing of Babagana, another policeman was mowed down at same Gwange at about 3.30 pm. Details of the second killing were sketchy as at press time even as residents were gripped with fear.
As at the time of filing this report, details of the killing and identities of the three corpses found around the Bulunkutu roundabout were still sketchy even as military authorities maintained they had not received information on the incident.
Commander of the Joint Task Force, Maj. Gen Jack Nwaogbo who spoke on phone disclosed that the force had received the news of the Gwange early morning killing. He however maintained he was “yet to receive any information on the Bulunkutu incident,” promising to furnish journalists with details when he is briefed. 

Efforts to reach the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abubakar on his mobile phone were unsuccessful as his line remained switched off throughout yesterday afternoon. The Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abdullahi Lawal who spoke with this reporter on phone said he did not have the details of the incident. “I’m not in the state right now and I don’t have the detail,” he told Daily Sun.

Meanwhile in Bauchi, the suspected Boko Haram hideout attacked yesterday was located at Kur in Jahun ward of the Bauchi metropolis. An eye-witness said he saw heavily armed policemen in the area very early in the morning.
The police operation which lasted almost six hours was said to have been a pro-active action aimed at smoking out members of the sect in the state.

Sporadic gunshots caused panic among residents living in the area particularly, in Dutse Tanshi, Danjuma Goje Street, Federal Low Cost Housing and Games Village. There were also reports that at least three persons were killed in the operation while several others were injured.
An eye-witness told Daily Sun that he saw one man shot on his stomach and another man shot on his hand and legs.
In his account, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammad Barau, said police received information that the criminals hid in one house in Anguwan Kur.

Barau said that based on the information, a team of policemen cordoned the house.
He said the people inside the house opened fire at the police and the police responded and overpowered them.
The PPRO said the house was searched leading to the recovery a gun and ammunitions.
He added that the police has arrested and taken the injured to the hospital.
When asked whether the suspects were members of the Boko Haram sect, Barau said he could not yet establish if they were members of the group or not.

On the number of suspects arrested, killed or injured, the police spokesman said the group just came back from the operation and was yet to make a detail report.
Speaking on the threats to National Security posed by the Boko Haram a lawmaker in Delta State, Hon. Efe Ofobruku advised President Goodluck Jonathan, to dialogue with the sect in order to nip their activities in the bud.
Ofobruku who gave the advice Tuesday in Warri, expressed deep worries over the activities of the sect sect serious tension it is causing across the country, especially in the northern states and Abuja, the nation’s capital.

“I want to call on the president to engage these fighters in a dialogue because two wrongs do not make a right. It is true that what they are doing is wrong but it will be worse for government to take wrong step in a bid to solve this issue”, said Ofobruku who is representing Uvwie Local Government in the State House of Assembly.
Also the Coordinator, Journalist Network against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Agbese has said the prevailing insecurity bedeviling the northern part of the country was as a result of financial support to terrorist’s activities in the past.

Agbese told Daily Sun yesterday in Jos, after he addressed secretariat staffers of the network in Plateau State. He informed that the network was formally inaugurated in Nigeria during the weekend in Kaduna, Kaduna State, with the aim of exposing corrupt practices. He emphasized that money laundering and terrorist financing were the focus of the network.

Agbese observed that the Boko Haram syndrome been recently experienced in some part of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital as denied both local and foreign investors investing in that state, and has affected negatively on the economy and well being of the citizenry.

On its part, the office of the Traffic Warden National Welfare Committee has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to use the death of Asst. Nongor Nangtu in the Police Headquarters, Abuja bomb blast to address the lingering issue of the promotion of traffic wardens and their over-dependence on the Nigerian Police.

The tribute which was read during the burial of the late traffic warden in Langtang, Plateau State and made available to Daily Sun recalled that a ministerial committee was set up last year on the instruction of the President to look into the issues and submit a report within a week to the presidency. He however lamented that till date, the report is yet to be submitted despite having completed the job.

It urged the president to step into the issues affecting traffic wardens as a tribute to their dead colleague who had become a sacrificial lamb to save the Nigerian Police and the Inspector General of Police, in particular.

SENATE SCREENING: Jonathan Withdraws Ministerial Nominee....Presents Okonjo-Iweala

By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi And James Ojo, Taiwo Amodu, Abuja
July 06, 2011, Sunnews

President Goodluck Jonathan has forwarded the nomination of former Minister of Finance Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-iweala as a ministerial nominee to the Senate. Senate President David Mark read out the correspondence to his colleagues yesterday.

In a dramatic move, President Jonathan withdrew the nomination of Architect Tonye Cole from Rivers as a ministerial nominee. No replacement was announced at plenary. Cole was said to have been nominated by his state Governor Rotimi Amechi to replace former minister of foreign affairs Mr. Odein Ajumogobia but sources said President Jonathan preferred to retain Ajumogobia.

After the closed-door meeting with the security chiefs ended at exactly 1.45 p.m. and the gallery was opened, Sen. Ndoma-Egba moved a motion, asking for extension of time to continue the screening of ministerial nomineess. But before the motion could be seconded by Minority Leader George Akume, many senators were already shouting ‘no’ to the request.

Nevertheless, the Senate President brushed aside the opposition, put the question that the senate extend sitting beyond 2pm and the ‘nays’ overwhelmed the ‘ayes.’ Mark pleaded with his colleagues and again put it to question. He got the same answer: ‘Nay.’ Asked about the fate of Dr. Obadiah Ando after the three senators from Taraba State rejected his nomination on Monday, Ndoma-Egba replied: “Ando has to resolve issues he has with his senators”.

On the suspension of screening of ministerial nominees, the Senate Leader said the chamber wanted clarification on the true number of ministerial nominees before them following the withdrawal and nomination of Okonjo-Iweala. The ministerial screening and confirmation is expected to resume today.

As the Senate resumes the screening of nominees for ministerial appointment, members of the House of Representative from Lagos and Taraba States yesterday protested against ministerial nominees from their respective states. President Goodluck Jonathan had nominated his former Finance Minister, Dr. Olusegun Aganga as representatives of Lagos state and Dr Obadiah Ando as nominee from Taraba state, they were yet to face the Senate for screening. Rising against the nomination of Aganga, former Minority Leader in the House, Femi Gbajabiamila raised point of Constitution order, saying that the slot of Lagos state will be lost.

He alleged that the nominee of the president from Lagos hailed from another state.
According to him, the nomination of Aganga who he said is an indigene of Edo State breached the provisions of section 147(3) of the Constitution which insisted on such to be an indigene of the concerned state, noting that it would amount   to short-changing the people of Lagos State since.

He therefore urged President Goodluck Jonathan to stick to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended on the appointment of Ministers, especially on the slot for Lagos State which has been a subject of controversy.
Gbajabiamila noted the action of the president may be an oversight, and urging the House to cause President Jonathan to urgently reverse the nomination in accordance with the law, and noted further that section 147(3) explicitly insisted on indigene ship on the appointment of ministers.

Also, the Caucus of Taraba State in the House joined their counterparts in the Senate in protesting against the nomination of Dr. Ando for ministerial appointment.
Similarly, members of the Concerned Citizens of Taraba State have alleged that Dr Ando was imposed on the party by former Chief of Army Staff, General Theophilus Danjuma.

Leader of the group, Peter T. Mamman disclosed that it is the turn of Wukari Local government as against Takum, where Dr Ando hails from to produce a minister from the state.
The group therefore urged the Red Chamber not to clear the former Water Resources Minister as doing so would undermine fairness.

Ajaokuta Steel project: A victim of policy inconsistency

Leke Salaudeen: The Nation

The Ajaokuta Steel Company has refused to fly, despite the billions sunk into it by the Federal government no thanks to policy’s inconsistency, writes Assistant Editor (Investigation) LEKE SALAUDEEN 

DESPITE the several billions of the tax payers, money sunk into the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL), the the multi-billion naira investment remains a white elephant project till date; no thanks to the inconsistency in government policies.

All efforts made at resuscitating the steel complex ended up breeding new problems. If there is anything working in the firm, it is corruption, either in the form of graft, or outright looting by individuals. Any company and government officials that ever had anything to do with the mill  have sour tales to tell. 

Today, the complex is like a graveyard. Everything is at a standstill. The premises of the company is a shadow of its old self as the few employees left behind render only  skeletal administrative services.

The factory is at best moribund. 

In 2008, an Interim Management Committee (IMC) was set up to oversee it. The panel came into being after a committee set up by the former President, the late Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua indicted the technical partner - Messrs Global Infrastructure Limited of incompetence and withdrew the concession given to them by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo to operate was subsequently withdrawn. 

But four years into its operations, the IMC remained a lame duck, with nothing to show since it was established.
 

It was learnt that an attempt by the IMC to stamp its authority was rebuffed when its request for N650 million to run the mill was allegedly turned down by the supervising Ministry of Miners and Steel Development, a move that dampened the morale and enthusiasm of committee members.

The ministry allegedly distanced itself from the committee because it did not have an input to its constitution. 

A ministry source said: "Their function is not clear. At one time, the committee requested for grants to run the mill which never materialised."

It was alleged that the N650 million released by the presidency to resuscitate the refurbished units of both ASCL and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOCO) was never received by the IMC. But the management denied recieving such funds. 

The source recalled the former minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was specific on how to disburse the fund, when she announced its release by the presidency in 2010.

Mrs.Alison-Madueke allegedly said the resuscitation exercise would cover a portion of the Thermal Power Plant, the Light Section rolling Mill, the Wire Rod Mill, the Engineering Workshops at ASCL and the Bergeud Plant as well as minimal mining operations and processing at the NIOMCO.

At the receiving end of the bureaucracy, the employees have been crying foul, alleging the IMC of incompetence, misappropriation and embezzlement of their salaries and allowances by using the old salary structure as against the Consolidated Research and Allied Institute Salary Structure (CONRAISS), approved by the Federal Government as the new salary structure for steel workers with effect from January 2010. 

The National Vice President of the Steel and Engineering Workers Union (SEWU) Mr Salami Jimoh said despite the approval, the IMC continued to pay the workers with the old scale.

The source said: "The monthly salary of ASCL and NIOMCO workers are being computed and released on monthly basis from the Budget Office as approved by the government. 

"But in defiance to this provision, the IMC insisted on paying with the old salary structure, leaving a monthly balance of N100 million in the kitty of the management in Ajaokuta alone, while NIOMCO is over N30 million monthly. This means that a total of over N2.5 billion has been diverted in the two companies from January 2010 till date.”

The workers also complained of non-payment of medical allowances, cancellation of five per cent leave grant, double deduction and non-remittance of contributory pension scheme and non-remittance of over N5 million cooperative deductions.

The bubble burst recently when some workers held hostage IMC Chairman Mr. Philip Umunakwe and the coordinator of administration for 12 hours. 

But the management in turn accused the workers of trying to coerce it to pay the enhanced salary scale, noting the action was traumatic experience for the two IMC top shots.

Reacting to the allegation, Umunakwe dismissed the workers claims. 

He told The Nation "The allegations are baseless and made out of ignorance of the realities on ground".

The management in a statement explained its frustrations in its crusade for budgetary allocation for the mills. 

It said: "In 2009, a proposal for the operation of the mills was submitted to the ministry by the IMC. The ministry after thorough examinations of the submission engaged the services of Messers Accenture who certified that with N650 million, the Wire Rod Mill, Light Section Mill, Engineering works and Metallurgical Training Centre could be put into operation.

"This position was an interim plan to engage the over 5,000 workforce in ASCL/NIOMCO pending the Federal Government's decision on the way forward. 

"The then minister of Mines and Steel Development informed Nigerians that Mr. President had graciously approved N650 million to ASCL. Till date, no kobo has been released out of this sum to the IMC.

"The IMC has struggled to reverse the zero budgetary allocations to the companies since 2008 except for personnel cost. 

"It has prepared, submitted and defended budgetary proposals for ASCL/NIOMCO both at the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Steel for 2009, 2010 and 2011 financial years without success.

"It is important to state categorically that the IMC flatly refutes any allegation of fraud, misappropriation and misdemeanour as alleged."

Despite the government's refusal to provide the N650 million lifeline, it has allocated N4.6 billion in this year's budget for salaries of over 5,000 employees on the payroll of the comatose Ajaokuta Steel Company. Similarly, the National Iron Ore Mining Company was allocated N1.9 billion to be expended on payment of wincers’ salaries.

Minister of Mines and Steel Development Mohammed Sada explained why the company has not been reactivated. He said even if it was reactivated, it could not run without raw materials.

"If we are talking of reacting to Ajaokuta Steel Company, we have to start from the mines. This is why the iron ore mining by the Nigerian Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe is crucial, it is the starting point. We have to make sure that they are working and that the equipments are there to produce iron ore.

"But if you say every machine, every switch is fit and fiddle and ready to start production in Ajaokuta and you don't have the raw materials to run it, then it won't work. Some of the major problems of the complex have to do with raw materials. 

"If we are talking about steel production, mines department has an input to make and they must tell us the condition of the mines.

"Those are the issues we have to solve. I know that sometime this year, we made effort to see that at least the raw materials for the production of steel are acquired. We have started doing something to make sure we are not confronted with problems of importation and funding.”

According to the minister, the management has been directed to begin the process of developing a road map that would take the mining sector to the next level.

Stressing government's determination to develop the mining sector, Sada said henceforth, there would be no discriminatory policies in the sector because regulations had been put in place to guide it.

A member of the House of Representatives Committee on Steel Development, Mr. Austin Ogbaburhon,  said about N80 billion would be required to resuscitate the ailing steel complex if Nigeria is determined to emerge as one of the world's best economies by the year 2020.

Ogbaburhon said the issue was discussed exhaustively when the House Committee was considering appropriation for the steel sector.

He said: “It's quite good that we have a workable steel complex  in this country; any developing country like Nigeria that tries to be in the league of world's best economies by the year 2020 needs the steel industry to achieve such feat; the importance of steel development cannot be over-emphasised.

 "Ajaokuta is not dead but there is no activity going on there right now. To put Ajaokuta on stream, the money is huge-close to N80 billion. A major part of the steel complex is completed. Less than 20 per cent is yet to be fixed; most of the parts are obsolete.

"Being the only surviving steel complex owned by the government in the country, Ajaokuta deserves all the attention and all hands should be on deck to bring it back on stream"