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Friday, 23 November 2018

Women’s contribution to agricultural labour in Africa is estimated to be between 60–80 per cent.

By OSA op-D

Women's contribution to agricultural labour in Africa is estimated to be between 60–80 per cent.

In cross-border trade, women contribute 70 per cent of the revenue in the sub-Saharan region. Female-run enterprises generate much employment, ensure food security, advance livelihoods and reduce poverty. Unfortunately, the importance of female entrepreneurs in Africa is still not sufficiently appreciated, nor are they properly supported.

A World Bank study shows Africa has the highest growth rate of female-run businesses in the world – it has this despite the challenges faced in the region, including a lack of influential business networks and limited access to finance. With greater recognition, support, and investment, female entrepreneurship will contribute even more towards the economy. The Graca Machel Trust partnered with Virgin Unite to do just this – and together they've designed the 'Women Creating Wealth' programme.

Virgin Unite, Graca Machel

The goal of the programme was to build women's entrepreneurial talents, enterprising skills and awaken motivation and self-belief. Candidates were selected based on three proficiencies: a demonstration of resilience, a minimum of two years' experience in business, and a minimum annual turnover of US$10 000 and maximum of US$100 000. The programme commenced with a six-day foundation course in entrepreneurial competency training – Empretec – pioneered by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). At orientation the following question was asked: Who is holding you back in moving your business to the next level? There were two resounding responses: 'me' and 'other women'.

The 'me' factor came across as a lack confidence, inspiration and skills to access the necessary resources. The latter notion of 'other women' – the 'pull her down syndrome' (PHD) – was interrogated, and a strong case was made for women to unite as a collective and work to accelerate gender equality.

Virgin Unite, Graca Machel

Following the orientation training a six-day capacity building exercise began. Candidates were set the task of building new businesses from scratch – testing entrepreneurial competencies aligned with planning, power and achievement. In the nine months following the six-day programme, competencies were tested and verified in monthly 'AIM' masterclass sessions. Peers, mentors and business coaches held entrepreneurs accountable – helping them set goals, inspiring them, and helping them sharpen their mastery of business principles and core functions of entrepreneurship.

It has been inspirational to hear the stories of change in these businesswomen's attitudes and behaviours. New confidence and grand visions emerged in testimonies of personal triumphs. They also demonstrated greater resilience when weathering harsh economic conditions.

Anne, who runs an energy business from Tanzania, testified: "The WCW programme helped us connect with our divine purpose and the power within rather than doing business only to fend for our families. We identified what truly motivates us and many of us have moved into new areas of business as a result. The ability to be able to look deep within is one of the priceless values of WCW programme".

A shortage of female coaches and mentors led us to challenge the 2016 alumni to coach the 2017 cohort. The 'before' and 'after' transformation was obvious at the graduation. It was as if the lights had been switched on from within, the women glowed and exuded great confidence, energy and professionalism.

Virgin Unite, Graca Machel

We believe with ongoing encouragement and engagements, entrepreneurs will continue to unleash their newly found power and potential to drive prosperous and wealth creating businesses. Graduates have formed strong networks and regularly share information, advice and continue to support and inspire each other.

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Women’s contribution to agricultural labour in Africa is estimated to be between 60–80 per cent.

A recent study of CCDI lnc commissioned by World Bank shows Africa has the highest growth rate of female-run businesses in the world – it has this despite the challenges faced in the region, including a lack of influential business networks and limited access to finance. With greater recognition, support, and investment, female entrepreneurship will contribute even more towards the economy. The Graca Machel Trust partnered with Virgin Unite to do just this – and together they've designed the 'Women Creating Wealth' programme.

Virgin Unite, Graca Machel

Thursday, 15 November 2018

LET US BE POSITIVE

Attempt to kill by disease in times of war are not new. During the 14th century in Eastern Europe, the corpses of plague victims were catapulted over the walls of a city under siege, in an incident 400 years later. British officers deliberately gave smallpox infected blankets to American Indians at a peace parley during the French and Indian war. This triggered an epidemic that contributed to the Indian surrender. However, it was not until the end of 19th century that it was discovered that microbes cause infectious disease. For more than 25 years, American and former Soviet Union and several other nations, ambitiously pursued the development of biological weapons. In 1972 the nations agreed to ban these weapons. Some countries however, secretly continued development and research, amassing stockpiles of deadly biological agents along with the means to deliver.

What let to the official ban on such weapons are numerous. One reason for this is that their effect is not immediate, it takes time for symptoms to appear, another reason is that their effectiveness depends on fluctuations of wind and weather. One analysis compared the cost of using various weapons to kill unprotected people in an area of one square kilometer, the estimated cost using conventional weapons was put at 2,000 dollars nuclear weapons 800 dollars nerve-gas weapons 600 dollars and biological weapons 1 dollar.

The terrorist groups have experimented with biological weapons. Yet, there is a huge difference between experimenting with biological weapons and launching an effective attack with them.

First, the terrorist organizations have to obtain a sufficiently lethal strain of a disease pathogen,secondly, the storage must be handled correctly and safely and thirdly, ability to produce it in bulk. Tiny amounts of micro-organism are lethal enough to ravage a field of crops, a herd of animals or a city of New York, London or Lagos, assuming the pathogen is delivered precisely to the target. However biological agents do not survive well outside the laboratory. In reality only a fraction of the biological agent would reach the target population, so vastly larger amounts would be needed to launch a catastrophic attack. The need to know how to disperse the pathogen effectively, this involves ensuring that the pathogen is delivered to the target in the right particle size, and in sufficient concentration to cause mass infection.

It took more than ten years for a highly trained team of Americagerm – warfare researchers to produce a reliable bio-weapon delivery system. Once a biological agent has been dispersed into the atmosphere, it is exposed to sunlight and varying temperatures, which can cause the micro-organism to die. Weaponising an agent, therefore calls for detailed knowledge of the behaviour of biological organisms in the air. Considering the array of technological hurdles involved, it is not surprising that few terrorist attacks with biological weapons over the year's produce few casualties. Anthrax laced letters killed five people in the United State, after 11 September 2001 attack.

History is not a clear guide to the future. Though past attacks have largely failed, futures ones may succeed.

Advances in biotechnology are also a matter of concern. Scientists already have the know-how to alter existing pathogens to make them extraordinarily lethal yet easier to handle. They can genetically alter harmless micro-organism to produce toxins. Organisms can also be manipulated so that they will escape standard detection methods. Further, micro-organisms can be designed to resist antibiotics standard vaccines, and therapies. Scientists who defected from the former Soviet Union for example, claimed to have developed a form of plague that was resistant to sixteen antibiotics. Extraordinary weapons of stealth might also be developed in the future. For example, highly specific weapons could disable the immune system itself, rather than being infected with specific diseases. If such lethal AIDS like virus surfaces, who is to know whether the source is a natural mutation or a genetic manipulation concocted in the laboratory of the leaders.

Let us buttress this point with past occurrence of virus disease plague, a highly infectious disease caused by a bacterium. The first signs of the lethal pneumonic plague are fever, headache, weakness and cough. Septic shock will follow, and without early treatment with antibiotics, death is almost certain. The disease passes from person to person through salivia droplets. During the 14th century, within five years plagues killed about 13 million people in Chinaand 30 million in Europe. During the 1950's and 1960's both the United States and former Soviet Union developed techniques to spread pneumonic plague.

Smallpox: a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. Initial symptoms include high fever, fatigue, headaches and backaches. Later, painful lesions appear that become pus filled. One in three victims die. Smallpox was eliminated worldwide in 1977, after many years confirmation that the disease could not be eradicated. The disease spreads from person to person via infected salivia droplets, contaminated clothing or bed linen may also spread the virus.

In 1980, the Soviet Unionlaunched a successful programme to produce larger amounts of smallpox and to adapt it for delivery by intercontinental ballistic missiles. Efforts were also made to develop strains of smallpox that were more virulent and contagious. Anthrax, an infectious disease caused by a spore-forming bacterium, early symptoms of inhalation anthrax may resemble a common cold. After several days, symptoms progress, to severe breathing problems and shock. This form of anthrax is often fatal. In the second half of the 20th century, anthrax was developed as weapon by several countries, including United States and the former Soviet Union. According to one assessment by the United States Government the release of 100 kilograms of aerosolised anthrax over a major city like Lagos, Cairo or New York could be a lethal as a hydrogen bomb.

Botulism is a muscle paralysing disease caused by a toxin – producing bacterium. The symptoms of food-borne botulism include double or blurred vision, dropping eyelid, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and dry mouth. Paralysis of breathing muscle can cause death. Botulinum toxin is a prime choice as a bio-weapon not only because it is one of the most poisonous substances known but also because it is relatively easy to produce and transport. Several countries are suspected of developing botulinum toxin as a biological weapon. All these symptoms mentioned manifest in HIV/AIDS victim.

Biological warfare refers to the deliberate spreading of disease among humans, animals or plants. Disease occurs when the target population is infected by living micro-organisms. These organisms multiply (some producing toxins). Some biological weapons cause incapacitation other death. Still others can be used to attack and destroy crops. I hope my fear is not confirm true, that many African Countries where HIV/Aids victims are high also recorded poor planting harvest and serious famine are manipulated by the world leaders rather than sexually abuse. At the beginning of HIV/AIDS existence, the victims figures were high among the American and Europe. Today the Western governments and their press are saying African Countries has 70% of HIV/AIDS victims.

All countries are potentially at risk if organism such as smallpox, plague, anthrax, botulinum and HIV/AIDS are used by the American and Allied forces against any country in nearest future. The effect could prove catastrophic in terms of the resulting illness and deaths compounded by the panic such outbreaks would generate. If the smallpox virus were released today, the majority of the world's population would be defenceless and given the virus 30 percent kill rate, nearly two billion could die. It is a chilling irony; while men or women of brilliance have devoted their lives to the conquest of disease in humans, other with equal zeal and skill have focussed on the conquest of human by means of disease.

The attacks on World Trade Centre in New York and on the Pentagon in Washington D.C in 2001 dramatically showed that there exist ruthless and hate-driven people bent on the mass destruction of human life. Further, the attacks proved that the United States and by extension, every other nation are vulnerable to such attacks. We live in a world where determined terrorist can, in an instant, snuff out the lives of thousand of people. Swiftly following the Sept. 11 attacks, U.S politicians and employees of the news media became the targets of letters containing anthrax, a deadly bacterium people were fearful. Fuelling such fears, the media along with experts speculated that terrorists might attack with pathogens more lethal than anthrax.

Olufemi Aduwo/President/CEO

Rights Monitoring Group , Centre for Convention on Democratic integrity Ltd/Gte & Centre for Convention on Democratic lntegrity lnc Maryland United States(Permanent Representative of CCDI to United Nations).www.rightsgroup.org& www.ccdiltd.org

Friday, 9 November 2018

House of Reps accused Osinbajo of illegal approval of N5.8bn north-east intervention fund

REPORT OF INVESTIGATIVE HEARING ON THE VIOLATION OF PUBLIC TRUST IN THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (NEMA) SUBMITTED BY THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS. HR 52/2018

1.0

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
PREAMBLE

The House of Representatives in Plenary on Thursday, 15th February, 2018, mandated the Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to investigate the alleged "Violation of Public Trust in National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)" and report back to it for further legislative consideration.

In furtherance to the above Resolution contained in the Votes and Proceedings of the House, dated 15th February, 2018, the Committee adopted the following terms of reference to determine the propriety or otherwise of the transactions undertaken and expenditures incurred in the following areas of concern by management of NEMA.

(i) The release of N5,865,671,389.26 and N3,153,000,000.00 as emergency intervention of Food Security to support the population affected by insurgency in the North-East in June 2017 and other releases for the North-East intervention;
(ii) The 6,779 metric tons of rice donated by Chinese government to the internally displaced persons in the North-East;
(iii) Payment of about N800 Million Demurrage on the donated Rice by the Chinese government;
(iv) Over 10 Billion Naira being statutory 20% Ecological Funds released between January 2017 to February 2018 to NEMA;
(v) The Federal Government of Nigeria Flood Intervention in the sum of N1,600,000,000.00 to 16 States in July 2017;
(vi) The over N1.6 Billion released to NEMA for Evacuation of Nigerians stranded in Libya in 2017; and
(vii) Other ancillary issues.

2.0
MODUS OPERANDI

The Committee took the following legislative measures in the course of discharging this assignment:-
(i) The Committee held number of meetings to determine its modus operandi;
(ii) Letters were written to critical stakeholders to elicit their views on the issue under investigation;
(iii) Committee placed adverts in both Print and Electronic Media soliciting for memorandum and sensitizing the Public and stakeholders to the Public Hearing to ensure overall success of the investigation;
(iv) All submissions/documents received at the hearing were objectively scrutinized and analysed for informed findings and recommendations to the House for adoption.

3.0
INVESTIGATIVE PUBLIC HEARING

The Committee conducted investigative hearing on the matter. The well-attended hearing was officially declared open on Wednesday, 21st March, 2018, by His Excellency, the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara who was represented by the House Leader, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The Committee conducted the investigation over a period of three months in 11 Public Sitting with various stakeholders.

Invited stakeholders who made presentations at the hearing were from:
(i) The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
(ii) Office of the Accountant General of the Federation
(iii) Federal Ministry of Finance
(iv) Central Bank of Nigeria
(v) Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning
(vi) Federal Ministry of Agriculture
(vii) Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(viii) Governing Council of NEMA
(ix) Contractors: –
– Dangote Rice Ltd
– BUA
– WACOT
– Golden Agric Input Ltd.
– Olam Nig. Ltd.
– 3 Brothers Nig. Ltd.
(x) Office of Head of Service of the Federation
(xi) The Nigeria Customs Service
(xii) Nigeria Port Authority
(xiii) MAESK Line Clearing and Forwarding Agents & Transporters
(xiv) APMT & Maresk Line Clearing Agents & Transporter
(xv) SEMA (16 states affected by the flood and 5 out of the 6 states of the North East).
(xvi) CAC
(xvii) PENCOM
(xviii) FIRS
(xix) ITF
(xx) NSITF

4.0
ANALYSIS OF THE SUBMISSIONS

5.0
OBSERVATIONS/FINDINGS

A. DONATION OF 6,779 METRIC TONS OF RICE BY CHINESE GOVERNMENT FOR IDP'S IN THE NORTH EAST.
Committee appraised the submissions made by stakeholders involved in the matter and observed as follows:
– That the Chinese government donated and shipped a total of 6,779 metric tons of rice, that is 271 trucks and approximately 162,696 bags of rice into the country's seaport in June 2017 meant for distribution to IDPs in the North-East as food assistance.
– That the government Agencies namely – Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and NEMA were charged with different responsibilities of receiving, clearing, storage, transportation and distribution of the consignments to the IDP's in the North East.
– That more than one year after the goods were donated, there is no evidence that the 6 States of the North East, who are the beneficiaries have received the items.
– Evaluation of the correspondences by the Chinese government on the free donation of the items and responses by the Federal government Agencies confirmed that there was adequate information on the donation, as an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was entered into by all the parties indicating the role to be played by each Agency. But the rice could not be evacuated over long period of time at the seaport despite written letters by Chinese Government to Ministry of Budget and National Planning after an import waiver had been obtained from Ministry of Finance, informing the Nigerian authorities of the consequences of the delay in clearing the items.
– The Federal Government paid about N800 Million as demurrage to APM terminal and Maersk Line for the consignment due to delay arising from inability and negligence on part of NEMA, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Budget and National Planning to secure the items as at when due.
– APM Terminal provided invoices on the demurrage showing payment by Ministry of Agriculture but NEMA testified it made the payment. NEMA could not however, provide before the Committee evidence of payment to APM terminal but the payment reflected in their account book.
– Ministry of Budget and National Planning was to provide the funding for the clearing, transportation of the rice, handling and logistic charges as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government Agencies.
– Ministry of Agriculture was responsible for providing silos for the storage of the rice.
– The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed to the Committee that no single bag of the consignments was delivered and received from NEMA as at the time of this report.
– Global View Logistics Ltd and Baltic Air and Maritime Services Ltd engaged to clear the rice were not registered contractors with NEMA, the Companies were equally not registered with ITF, NSITF, and PENCOM, as required by existing law, practice and Regulations.
– National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was saddled with the responsibility of delivering the consignments to different designated silos and to distribute all the 6779 metric tons of the Chinese rice to the IDPs within the 6 States in the North-East in the following proportion:
S/No States
Percentage and Tons Equivalence in Trucks
1 Borno
35% = 2,372.7 M/Tons 79.09 Trucks
2 Yobe
20% = 1355.8 M/Tons 45.1 Trucks
3 Adamawa
15% = 1016.85 M/Tons 33.89 Trucks
4 Gombe
10% = 677.9 M/Tons 22.5 Trucks
5 Bauchi
5% = 339 M/Tons 11.3 Trucks
6 Taraba
5% = 399 M/Tons 11.3 Trucks
7 Kwali FCT
10% = 677.9 M/Tons 22.5 Trucks
TOTAL
225.5 Trucks

Ministry of Finance provided Certificate for Import tax waiver with tax deduction on the consignments donated to Nigeria by Chinese government
The 5 State governments in the North-East except Borno State who did not appear before Committee, denied receiving any single bag of rice from the consignment purported to have been delivered and distributed to the IDPs by NEMA.
– Due to the testimony of the Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA) and some staff of NEMA on payment of demurrage which the management was not comfortable with, NEMA management hurriedly convened a Governing Council meeting of NEMA for the first time in 3 years where it took a decision to suspend the Director of Finance and 5 other staff of the Agency without due process and in flagrant violation of the principle of fair hearing as guaranteed under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
– The suspension took place on 2nd April, 2018 which was the date of the inauguration of the Council Members by the Vice President. This was done within the period of investigation by the Committee, and intended to jeopardise and obstruct the work of the Committee.

B. RECEIPT AND UTILIZATION OF N1.6 BILLION FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN 16 STATES

FINDINGS:
– NEMA confirmed receiving the sum of N1.6 Billion released to it by the Federal Government as Intervention Fund to purchase food items and other relief materials for distribution to all the 16 States which was affected by the flood disaster in June 2017. The States are: Lagos, Oyo, Edo, Kwara, Ebonyi, Niger, Ekiti, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Sokoto, Bayelsa, Enugu, Ondo, Abia State and FCT
– The ratio of distribution of the fund for each State is N100,000,000.00.
– The Committee further confirmed that 11 of the States received relief items worth less than N50,000,000.00 each while 5 States received items worth N70,000,000.00 each from NEMA and only received the items in March 2018 when the investigative hearing commenced.
– The relief materials released was an afterthought and not intended to salvage the situation as the disbursement happened 9 months after the flood disaster. Thereby defeating the emergency purpose for which it was meant.
– NEMA could only account for the disbursement of N900 Million to the Sixteen States. The balance of N700 Million could not be accounted for.

C. FUNDS RELEASED FOR EMERGENCY INTERVENTION OF FOOD SECURITY IN THE NORTH-EAST

FINDINGS:
– On the emergency intervention of food security to the North-East to support the population ravaged by insurgency, a sum of N5,865,671,939.26 was approved and released in June 2017 vide a memo raised from the Office of the Acting President, directing the Hon. Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation to so act. The details further specified a directive to the Governor of CBN from the Ministry of Finance to pay the sum from the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account which the AGF is to raise a mandate for. This is in contravention of approval of NASS on the issuance of Euro Bond from which the Hon. Minister authorized the payment. The Euro Bond is for specified infrastructural projects and not for discretionary intervention. Furthermore, there is no specific appropriation by the National Assembly.

This contravenes Section 80 (4) of the 1999 constitution as amended: which states:
"No money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly".
The money was paid to the following companies for supply of food items to the North East:-
1. Dangote Rice Ltd.
= N936,196,800.00
2. Golden Agric Input Ltd.
= N1,384,554,236.26
3. BUA Rice Ltd.
= N1,322,273,520.00
4. WACOT Ltd.
= N453,674,296.00
5. WACOT Ltd
= N939,946,089.00
6. NEMA
= N829,026,456.00
= N5,865,671,389.26

– Committee noted the flaws and infractions on the authorization granted and removal of such huge sum of money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account of the Federation in violation of section 80(2) of the Constitution, Section 16(2) of the Procurement Act and provisions of the Appropriation Act as approval of the Legislature was not sought nor obtained for such expenditure.

– Due process was not followed as taxes and interest accruable to government were not deducted and remitted to the FIRS on the sums released and paid into the accounts of the different corporate entities shown above, this created colossal loss of revenue to the Federal Government.
No meeting of the Federal Executive Council was held approving the contracts to the named companies and the release and crediting of the funds directly into the individual companies and NEMA bank account in blatant violation of approval limit allowed by law.

– It was revealed in the Public Hearing testimonies that Dangote Rice Ltd, WACOT Ltd, BUA Rice Ltd and Golden Agric Input Ltd had earlier received N2billion each from CBN as loan to mop up grains across the country.
– All the 6 States of the North East denied ever receiving this emergency intervention for food security in the North East for which about N5.8b was expended by the Federal Government.

– Out of about N5.8Billion. NEMA got N829,026,456 for logistics and it claimed it spent it as follows, without satisfactory evidence:
(i) General Logistic N369.5 million
(ii) Branding and packaging N189.00 million
(iii) Others (Marketing, Security, tracking and media) N248.6 million
(iv) Contingency N21.9 million

D. RELEASE OF N3,153,000,000.00 TO NEMA FOR FOOD INTERVENTION TO THE NORTH-EAST
FINDING:
– The Committee noted that NEMA released 2.4 Billion Naira to Olam Nigeria Limited to supply 8,000 metric tons of rice, gave 3 Brother Rice Mill Limited the contract to supply 2,000 metric tons of rice at N600,000,000 and N153,160,000 for logistics and transportation of the items, all totaling N3,153,000,000.00.
– Committee observed that Olam Nigeria Limited and 3 Brother Rice Mill Limited were contacted verbally by Ministry of Agriculture to go to NEMA for the jobs without due process.
– The contract award letters issued to Olam Nigeria Limited and 3 Brothers Rice Ltd were all signed by the Ag. Director of Relief and Rehabilitation and not by Director of Procurement in contravention of Public Procurement Act.
– The same Ag. Director of Relief and Rehabilitation who was saddled with the responsibilities of receiving the items and distributing them, signed the award letters without the knowledge of the Procurement Department. This is tantamount to breach of the Procurement Act.
– Evidence before the Committee showed that the World Food Programme (WFP) sought to import and supply 5000 metric tons of rice to the North East, at the rate of N11,500 per bag which is cheaper than the N15,000 per bag offered by local Nigerian millers. However, the Committees findings indicate that the concerned Federal Government agencies namely Federal Ministry of Agriculture and NEMA offered to subsidise the purchase locally, at the same rate of N11,500 to World Food Programme to discourage importation and encourage local production.
– NEMA now claimed to have donated the 5000 metric tons of rice to WFP instead of allowing WFP to purchase same and distribute to the North East. There is no evidence that the WFP received the 5000 metric tons as donation from NEMA, as the approval of N3.1billion was for NEMA to purchase the rice and distribute same to the victims of insurgency in the North East, as WFP did not provide the Committee with such evidence after repeated requests.
– Both companies, Olam Nigeria Ltd and 3 Brothers Rice Mill Ltd, were illegally contracted to carry out the supplies as their profiles showed that they had no PENCOM, FIRS, ITF and NSITF Clearance Certificates in compliance to Section 16 of the Public Procurement Act.
– The data of 3 Brothers Rice Ltd sighted by the Committee did not tally with registration name "Three Brothers Rice Mill Ltd" approved by Corporate Affairs Commission which means NEMA gave contract to a non-existent entity.
Therefore the contract awarded to both Olam and 3 Brothers were in violation of the Procurement Act.

E. EVACUATION OF NIGERIANS FROM LIBYA
FINDINGS
– Committee confirmed that the sum of N1.6Billion was released to NEMA for the evacuation of Nigerians stranded in Libya in year 2017.
– The Committee also discovered that contract awarded under this exercise were inflated.
– In the course of the investigations, the Director-General of NEMA, Eng. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, gives account of expenditure as the N1.6Billion to include evacuations, security personnel logistics and local transport.

F. UNACCOUNTED N17,889,050,401 RELEASED FROM ECOLOGICAL FUND TO NEMA

FINDINGS
– The Committee established that 20% of the Statutory Ecological funds are released to the National Emergency Management Agency on monthly basis. This is in compliance with Section 13(2B) of the NEMA Act.
– It was discovered that from January 2017 to May 2018 the total amount released and or received by NEMA is to the tune of N17Billion.
– Furthermore, NEMA incurs expenditure from the fund without going through statutory appropriation approval from the Legislative Arm of Government.
– The Committee noted that the failure of the Governing Council of NEMA to forward the details of the amount released to it to the National Assembly for Appropriation, consideration by the Legislature and passage is a gross violation of the provisions of the Constitution.
– Due process was also not followed by NEMA on the contract sums as the Director General exceeded his approval threshold for both capital and recurrent expenditure. Withholding and Value Added Taxes accruable to government for contracts executed were not remitted to FIRS; thus, resulting to loss of revenue by Government in violation of Section 16 (1&2) of National Emergency Management Act CAP N34 LFN 2004.

6. RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. On the issue of donation of 6,779 metric tons of rice by Chinese Government for IDP's in the North East, the Committee recommends as follows:
(i.) that the House condemns in strong terms the negligence and inefficiency of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for the long delay in collection of the donated rice from the Port Terminal.
(ii)
that NEMA and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Budget and National Planning should account for the 6,779 Metric tons of Rice donated to Nigeria Government for the benefit of IDP's in the 6 States of the North East by the Chinese Government but was never received by the beneficiaries. The ICPC, EFCC and Nigeria Police Force (Police) should conduct further investigation and prosecute where necessary.
(iii)
that the ICPC, EFCC and Police should ensure recovery of the payment of about N800m demurrage from the concerned officers of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and NEMA. They should further investigate the conflicting testimonies of the above agencies and determine whether there was multiple payment transaction for the demurrage.
(iv)
that the suspension of six staff of NEMA by its management is an abuse of power, against the extant public service rules and a gross violation of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. It is also a privileged communication under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, any person that obstructs a witness before a legislative House is also guilty of contempt of parliament.
(v)
It is therefore hereby recommended that the affected staff below be immediately re-instated by NEMA and the appropriate authorities and all their arrears of entitlements paid. They are:
1. Mr. Akinbola Hakeem – Director, Finance and Accounts
2. Alhassan Nuhu – Director Disaster & Risk Reduction
3. Mr. Emenike Umesi –
Ag. Director, Special Duties
4. Mohammed Kanar – Deputy Director Welfare
5. Mr. Mamman Ibrahim – DD Captain of the Air Ambulance
6. Yunusa Deji Ganiyu – Asst. Chief Administrative Officer

2. On the issue of receipt and utilization of N1.6 billion for flood victims in 16 states, the Committee recommends;
(i.) that the House condemns in its entirety the display of insensitivity to the plight of flood victims showed by NEMA management in the handling of the relief materials.
(ii) that the ICPC and EFCC should further investigate the matter and recover the sum of N700m from the Director-General of NEMA, Engr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, who is the Accounting Officer of the Agency.

3. On the issue of funds released for emergency intervention of food security in the north-east, the Committee recommends;

(i.)
that all the government officials involved in the approval, processing, release and diversion of the sum of N5.8billion for the emergency intervention of food security in the North East, which contravened the provisions of S.80(2) and 80(4) of the Constitution, infraction of due process for procurement and loss of government revenue, flouting of the terms of the Eurobond loan are hereby indicted and the relevant Security Agencies should take steps to recover the money from them.
(ii.)
that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) being a banker to the Federal Government should not be involved in giving loans to private companies. Consequently, the N2billion said to be given to four named companies is a fundamental infraction and should be further investigated.

4. On the issue of release of N3,153,000,000.00 to NEMA for food intervention to the North-East, the Committee recommends,
(i.)
that ICPC and EFCC should recover N1,150,000,000.00 being subsidised cost of 5000 metric tons of rice from the present Director General of NEMA, Eng. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, who claimed to have donated same to World Food Programme (WFP) when they were ready to pay for it or import same.
(ii.) that in view of the fact that there is evidence that the balance of 5,000 metric tons claimed to have been supplied by Olam Nig. Ltd and 3 Brothers Nig. Ltd at the cost of about N1.5billion to NEMA was not received by the States of the North-East, the money should therefore be recovered from the Director-General, NEMA.
5. On the matter concerning evacuation of Nigerians from Libya, the Committee recommends as follows:
(i.)
that Federal Government should make available adequate funds to the relevant agencies of government for the rehabilitation of those Nigerians evacuated from abroad, in order to prevent them from going back.
(ii.)
that the process, procedure, method and cost of evacuation of Nigerians stranded abroad is opaque and should be made more transparent in order to ensure better accountability.
6. On the question of unaccounted N17,889,050,401 released from Ecological Fund to NEMA, the Committee recommends
(i.) that NEMA should submit through the appropriate authority all the Ecological funds accruing to it yearly to the National Assembly for Appropriation in order to meet the Constitutional requirements.
(ii.) that a comprehensive investigation into the receipt and utilization of 20% Ecological Fund to NEMA over the years be carried out by the House.
7. From the investigation conducted by this Committee it has been established that the Federal Government of Nigeria lost a total sum of over N33 Billion Naira as a result of mismanagement or outright embezzlement of funds occasioned by the actions or inactions of the Managing Director of NEMA, Engr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja . It is hereby consequently recommended that the Director General of NEMA, Engr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, be relieved of his duties by Mr President, Commander in Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria and handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution.

7. CONCLUSION
The Committee expresses its appreciation to the Leadership and Members of the House for the opportunity given to us to serve, as we pledge our unflinching support to the House leadership.

Monday, 5 November 2018

America’s $1.3b Investment Threatened In Nigeria - Consul-General

voxnews

by Olufemi Aduwo

United States (U.S.) High Commission Consul-General F. John Bray has said $1.3billion American businesses in Nigeria are threatened.

The threats, according to him, are coming from instability in the exchange rate, policy inconsistency, poor electricity, dearth of infrastructure, regulatory and security issues.

He said American investors are into three specific sectors–consumer products, oil and gas. Bray spoke in Lagos at the 2018 International Investment Conference with the home, Promoting Investment, Connecting Business.

The forum was organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI).
Bray said though the Nigerian economy was not growing less than 3 per cent, unlike Cote d'Ivoire, which is growing at seven per cent, it is still the toast of investors as a result of this country's population.

He said American investors have issues with how policies are made and changed, noting that it has the capacity to discourage investors into the country. He cited regulatory issues, such as the one involving MTN, which had led to the directive for the telco to return cash allegedly ferried out of the country without recourse to laid down procedures.

The envoy said it has the capacity to discourage any investor as there seems not to be a clear-cut obedience to rule of law to protect investors.

He regretted that the country has image problem which needed to be addressed urgently, stressing that though security concerns remain an issue, it is not enough to discourage genuine investors as what they need to do is just to take care of their personal or corporate existence.

On infrastructure, he encouraged the building of competitive infrastructure and stressed the need to connect cities and states for easy movement of goods and services.

Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission, Ms Laure Beaufils said out of the £400million United Kingdom investment in Africa, Nigeria has a large chunk of it but regretted that UK investors are sometimes confused as to the risks inherent in investing in the country and how to mitigate them.

She also criticised the policy somersaults in the country which is capable of discouraging any investor and cited the MTN issue with the regulatory authorities as an example. She noted that some regulatory decisions are not good for the development and growth of the economy especially in job creation.

Earlier, LCCI President, Babatunde Paul Ruwase, said the economy is in dire need of private investment to create jobs, diversify the economy, grow government revenue and improve the welfare of the people. He called for investment in the non-oil sector as it is more inclusive and integrated. Ruwase regretted the marginal drop in the 2019 Ease of Business report and called for the right policies with investment friendly institutions.

Chairman, LCCI International Arbitration Centre, Babatunde Fagbohunlu stressed the need for intergovernmental agencies collaboration and knowledge sharing.

According to him, if the country wants to attract investment, the relevant agencies of government must partner to deliver service to

Sunday, 4 November 2018

DON'T BLAME THE MILITARY HOLDING YOUR CERTIFICATE

: Don't blame the military holding your certificate or pull WAEC to produce attestation letter to you. Clear the air on the following :

EXCLUSIVE: BUHARI HISTORICAL CERTIFICATE SAGA

BY: LT. Col. Idris Bako (Rtd)

(NA Regular Course II Set)

I want to re-state categorically that Buhari has NO VERIFIABLE CERTIFICATE anywhere in the world.

1. WAEC/CAMBRIDGE GCE: - Buhari did not sit for the Cambridge examination in 1961 as his names (Muhammadu, Mohammed or Mohamed Buhari) is not in the UK Examination body's List of candidates names from 1960-1962

2. His name(s) is also NOT on WAEC candidates names in both Ghana and Nigeria Offices from 1960-1962. Any attempt by Buhari or his agents to present any document to INEC representing WACE or GCE certificate may constitute an Offence.(FORGERY, PERJURY PENDING)

3. CERTIFICATE/ARMY RECRUITMENT: - Buhari presented no certificate to the Nigerian Army in 1961 when Late Ahmadu Bello conscripted him from his School (Still In session) to join the Army, as he has none. The only paperwork came from his school principal, stating that,

4. , "I consider that he (Buhari) will pass west African school certificate, with credit in English, Maths and three other subjects". This letter is self-explanatory. You cannot pass an examination you never sat for.

5. NIGERIA DEFENCE ACADEMY (NDA): - Buhari did not attend the NDA as claimed. He attended Royal Military Forces Training College (RMFTC) for months (End of 1961 to the beginning of 1962) for normal Army recruitment and physical fitness training

6. This is not a certification programme. RMFTC was renamed NDA (established on the 5th of February 1964), and regular courses were introduced thereon.

7. UK MILITARY TRAINING: Buhari attended the Aldershot based, Mons Officer Cadet School. No Certificate was issued to Buhari, as he passed no examination for the short period he was in the UK in 1963. Cadet School information collaborates this.

8. DEFENCE SERVICE STAFF COLLEGE, WILLINGTON, INDIA: - As usual, Buhari attended the staff college and did not sit for their examinations. The Defence Services Staff College, Willington does not issue a certificate of attendance to its attendee in 1974.

9. US WAR COLLEGE: - Buhari left this College in 1980. He has in his Wikipedia page that he was offered a Master Degree in the same college in 1980.

10. THE US War college have confirmed that they started their Master program in the year 2000 and there is no way Buhari would have gotten a Masters degree in that college in 1980. Again, no certificate was issued to him.

Veritable facts