Okonjo-Iweala to Transmit MTEF-FSP to National Assembly Tuesday

Baring any last minute hitches, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will tuesday transmit the 2015-2017 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) to the two chambers of the National Assembly.

THISDAY investigations revealed that the documents could have been transmitted to the lawmakers yesterday, but for the National Honours’ awards, which prevented President Goodluck Jonathan from signing the documents.

However, a presidency source confirmed to THISDAY that the president was expected to sign the document late yesterday, paving the way for its transmission today.

The MTEF and FSP are statutory documents, which articulate government’s revenue and spending plan as well as its fiscal policy objectives over a three-year period.

Section 11 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007 mandates the Minister of Finance to prepare the MTEF and FSP and lay them before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the National Assembly for consideration.

Going by Section 18 of the Act, the MTEF is the basis for the preparation of the annual budget.

Unlike the 2014-2016 MTEF/FSP, which were submitted a bit earlier, the 2015-2017 statutory documents are coming slightly late due to what the Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation (BoF), Dr. Bright Okogu, described as wide consultations to eliminate possible areas of friction and rancour with the National Assembly.
Explaining the delay, he told THISDAY that this was necessitated by the need to engage comprehensively with the relevant committees of both chambers of the National Assembly on the parameters of the 2015 budget, particularly the oil price benchmark.

The MTEF/FSP, he said, were approved by FEC penultimate Wednesday, which requested a few adjustments that had already been effected.

Although Okogu would not give further details on the content of the MTEF, the presidency source said the 2015 oil benchmark price might be within the range or slightly higher than the $77.50 per barrel benchmark, which was approved by the National Assembly for the 2014 budget.

Asked why the benchmark was not pegged at $70 per barrel or even lower than $70 per barrel in the face of dwindling oil prices, the source said:  “A lot depends on what oil production is in 2015, but the oil benchmark will not be a big departure from 2014.”

He said the benchmark is determined on the basis of scenario building and modelling of where oil prices might be in 2015, and expressed the hope that the National Assembly would be accommodating to the proposal from the executive.

THISDAY gathered that the reluctance to lower the oil benchmark price stemmed from increasing federal government’s obligations, comprising pensions, the mounting wage bill and security, among other recurrent expenditure obligations.
Brent crude oil fell to $96.79 per barrel yesterday, moving closer to a two-year low, as weak data from major buyer China and a stronger US dollar added to pressure from heavy supply.

The international benchmark for crude has fallen from $115 in June as geopolitical tension in the Middle East failed to derail oil output, while concerns about slow demand have grown.

Although the executive and legislative arms of the government may have consulted “widely” with regards to the 2015-2017 MTEF/FSP, it is yet to be seen how the perennial areas of friction between both parties will be avoided when the National Assembly begins the actual consideration of the budget.

This is because such consultations in the past few years had done little or nothing to fasttrack the passage of annual budgets.

Culled from: Thisday live

Stop LGs from collecting radio, TV levies, RATTAWU urges FG

RADIO, Television, Theatre and Art Workers Union (RATTAWU), on Monday, urged the Federal Government to stop local government councils from collecting radio and television levies.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, RATTAWU’s president, Oluyemisi Bamgbose, said this would bring to an end the incessant harassments of citizens and motorists in the country.

He said it was wrong for the 1999 Constitution to have empowered local government councils to collect the levies, saying the constitution should be amended.

Bamgbose said the 1979 Constitution, which metamorphosed into the 1999 Constitution, gave the Post Office the responsibility to collect radio and television levies, but later, it became the prerogative of the Local Government Administration.

He observed that under the 1999 Constitution, there was no addendum on the modalities for the distribution of  the revenues collected among broadcast stations in the country.

“Local government councils do not have any relevance on the issues bordering on collection of levies on the services provided by radio and television stations in the country.

ANAMBRA: Security operatives destroy Newspapers, Magazines over N5000 bribe

Men of the Nigerian Police Station Ogidi for three days destroyed Newspapers and Magazines of different media houses worth thousands of naira  under the Flyover Bridge New Parts Market, Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State following the vendors refusal to continue parting with some money to the police.

According to report from Vanguard, the policemen carried out the operation on Tuesday September 23, Thursday 25 and Friday 26 in spite of a letter to the vendors from the Local Government exempting them from those prohibited from doing their business there, and also in contravention to an order by their Divisional Police Officer DPO incharge of Ogidi Police Station, Mr. H Musa to allow the vendors to do their business.

It was learnt that out of pressure to sell their papers were forced into an unofficial agreement to pay the police N2,000 weekly so they can carry out sales peacefully under the flyover Bridge, having been prevented earlier from transacting their business there on the alleged instruct from the Idemili North Council Chairman.

Reacting to the development, Monday,  Chairman of Onitsha Newspapers Directors Distributors Association (ONDDA) Mr. Jude Oguzie said “sometime in July this year we got a report from our vendors selling under the bridge that they were being harassed by policemen for selling their papers and magazines under the bridge, and I went with my Vice Chairman and Secretary Mr. Christian Ikpe and Elder Emma Uwakwe to meet with the police.

“The police told us during our meeting that they were under instruction from the Idemili North Council boss not to allow anybody to sell papers under the bridge, when we probed further to know their reason for preventing our vendors, the policemen told us that they can only allow our vendors if we will be paying them N5000 weekly.

“We reminded them that vendors are among the people on essential duties that are not disturbed even during elections, population census, national and state sanitation exercise and even time of curfew but they insisted on being paid, we however, told them that we will present their demands to the media houses to see if it will be approved.

“We did not know that the vendors later entered into agreement with the police to pay them N2000 weekly after initial payment of N5000, but when it became very unbearable to them they decided to stop and the police swooped on them and destroyed their papers” said Oguzie.

He added: When we got this latest information about the destruction of our papers by the police, we went again to meet them and to our greatest surprise the police men recognized us and ordered the vendors who gathered around to leave the scene for them to discuss with us, and they told us that they cannot allow our vendors unless we pay them the N5000.

According to Oguzie the vendors have been paying the police N2000 since June 2014 and they decided not to pay for last week and the police got angry and resorted to destroying their papers, they did the first day being Tuesday 23 and we went to the Local government to report and we were issued with a letter permitting but the policemen ignored the directive and came the third time being on September 27 to destroy more papers and claimed that their order came from the Area Commander in charge of the place and no more the Local Government.

Oguzie said they are experiencing similar harassment from overzealous local government workers from Onitsha North and South Council Areas and Idemili North and South Council Areas and we wonder if there is any restriction for vendors to sell their papers

“There is no designated place we are told to sell our papers, we hawk around with our papers, we wonder why we will be harassed this way by people who should know” he said.
Mr Emeka Onwuzuligo who is the Head of Legal Matters in the LGA said that the directive was given in error and he has given a counter directive through a letter that vendors should be exempted from the order not to do business there.

Reacting to the ugly incident, the DPO, Ogidi Police Station,  Mr H Musa, expressed anger against the policemen and promised to withdraw them from the place.

Jason Derulo Blames Marriage Pressures For Jordin Sparks Split, Says Relationship Became An ‘Obligation’

Although he previously stated that he did not intend to speak on the details regarding his split from Jordin Sparks, Jason Derulo must have experienced a change of heart. In an interview with Ryan Seacrest, the “Wiggle” singer credited marriage pressures for the breaking down of their relationship.

“I’m not one to throw my business out on the street, but I thought it was important because things are getting a little out of hand,” he said. “I’m seeing all kind of stories about somebody getting pregnant, infidelity, things like me calling it off because of me being too busy and because of my newfound success.”

And then, he went in for the kill.

“What happened … in a nutshell, there was a lot of tension in the relationship for a lot of different reasons. Every relationship has ups and downs. There was a lot of pressures of marriage. There was a lot of arguing and stuff like that that just weighed on our relationship over time. When you stop having more good times than bad bad times, it’s time to call it quits. It becomes something that is unhealthy,” he explained.
Many expected Jason to propose to Jordin after he expressed a desire to do so, released a song titled, “Marry Me,” and featured Jordin in the song’s music video.
During his chat with Ryan,  Jason also expressed that he and Jordin aren’t exactly on good terms right now.

“I wouldn’t say good terms,” he said. “”I’ll be lying if I said that, but it’s not a bad situation. There’s no bad blood. We didn’t end off on a weird way or a negative way. It’s not like we’re hitting each other up, like, ‘Hey, what are you doing today?’”
“Three years … very long time. I think sometimes you can be in a relationship so long, it becomes a part of your life and you feel like you’re obligated. And when you start feeling obligated and you start feeling like it’s something you have to do because it’s necessary, like breathing, that’s not a good situation either. It should be something different.”
Jordin also recently spoke out about the split and while she’s not blabbing like her ex-boyfriend, she did have this to say:

“I’m good, actually,” Jordin said during an appearance on “Today.” “The funny is that I read this book the other day. Actually, it was yesterday. It said when something unexpected happens in your life or you think something bad is happening, just say ‘plot twist’ and move on.”

Polymer notes: ex-mint boss faces forgery, money laundering charges

There were indications last night that former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC, Emmanuel Ehidiamhen Okoyomon, might be extradited to the United Kingdom to face trial over the lingering polymer notes scam in Nigeria.

Competent sources at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told Vanguard that the extradition processes were being initiated through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation under a Mutual Legal Assistance request by the British Government.

Okoyomon who holds dual Nigerian and British citizenship was the chief executive of the NSMPC until November 2013 when he was suspended by the board of the Central Bank of Nigeria in the wake of the disappearance of printed N1000 notes worth N1.2 billion from the premises of the company in Abuja.

Before then, he had been under investigation since 2012 by the anti- graft agency following a request by the British National Crime Agency over a different matter, the alleged collection of multi-million Naira bribe from Securency of Australia for the printing of polymer notes for Nigeria.

The request followed discovery by Australian authorities that some Nigerian officials at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Mint, received bribes and kickbacks from Securency Pty Ltd, a polymer substrate producing company for the contract to produce N20 polymer notes for the Central Bank of Nigeria between 2006 and 2008.

Findings by both British and Nigerian security agents reportedly established that the bribes were routed through offshore accounts in the UK and other jurisdictions
But EFCC sources confirmed last night that its investigations uncovered a web of forgery, identity fraud and money laundering running into millions of naira.
The erstwhile Mint boss allegedly used the names of his driver and clerk to open different bank accounts in which he diverted several alleged bribery funds without their knowledge.

He allegedly forged a driver’s license with the photograph of his driver but bearing a different name belonging to his official clerk, to open the account, in which N368 million, proceeds of laundered bribery funds were traced, with Okoyomon as the sole beneficiary.

Over N750 million is alleged to have exchanged hands between officials of the CBN, the NSPMC and Securency International Pty of Australia, (now Innovia Security Pty Limited.

Earlier this year, the EFCC had served notice that Okomoyon and the former CBN boss, Professor Charles Soludo might be charged to court for their roles in the printing of Polymer notes.

The commissioned had hinted at the time that the embattled former MD, who was forced to resign from the company over missing N1.2 billion printed notes, had been found to have a case to answer by a team that investigated him over the polymer notes scam.

The agency also confirmed that the former Mint boss had been indicted by the panel, which probed him and his activities.
He said that all those who were found to have played roles in the scam would be charged to court before long.

2015: PDP State Lawmakers Endorse Jonathan

About 600 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislators in the 36 state Houses of Assembly in the country have backed party’s decision to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2015 presidential election.

The legislators, who met on the  platform of PDP State Legislators’ Forum at the weekend in Abuja, passed a vote of confidence on the party’s leadership at all levels.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the lawmakers said they have all resolved to endorse the president as the sole candidate of PDP in 2015 based on the success rate of his transformation agenda.

A member of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Audu Sule, who spoke to journalists  alongside his counterparts from Zamfara  and Kebbi States, Hon. Muhammad Ahmad and Hon. Kabir Abdullahi Besse respectively, said their group used to comprised  626 nationwide before the defections of some members which had now reduced the membership strength to 615

The forum said after an objective assessment of the president’s performance, the legislators concluded that he had done credibly well to deserve a second term, adding that he has succeeded in implementing a number of projects that impacted on people’s live.

“We said this because if you are changing a winning team, you may not know what it will portend. Also, constant changes in the leadership of the country does not augur well for continuity which is very important for the development of the country. We believe his grand formation agenda is on course and needed more time for him to conclude laudable on going programmes and projects.

“That the forum after careful assessment of Mr. President’s Transformation Agenda and the developmental achievements of his administration do hereby wish to endorse Goodluck Jonathan as our sole candidate for the 2015 presidential election under the platform of PDP,” they said.

The group also passed a vote of confidence on all the PDP governors in the country and commended them for their “numerous achievements” in their various states, while urging all Nigerians to support and vote for the ruling PDP in the forthcoming general election.

He said before yesterday’s forum’s meeting, the state legislators had held series of meetings where PDP state legislators had taken a position.

Defending the position of the state legislators, Muhammadu Ahmad Shinkafi, said of all the contenders for the presidency of the country, President Jonathan is the only clear democrat who has shown an unequalled level of tolerance, accommodating provocative statements and abuses.

Since it is not possible for the over 600 state legislators to gather at every moment for meeting, Shinkafi said a representative group decided to meet in Abuja to make known to Nigerians the resolution reached to endorse President Jonathan for the 2015 presidential election.

The forum also passed a vote of confidence on all PDP state governors for their performance during the period.

The forum resolved to push for financial autonomy at the constitutional conference.

He said the state legislators had resolved to support the Speakers of the state Houses of Assembly in making sure that the assemblies gets greater autonomy.
The statistics of the population of PDP legislators nationwide are, North west, 138; North-central -109, South-west, 16 North-east ,-187; South-east-87, South-south,162.

WORLD BANK: Nigeria Most Expensive Place To Own property

World Bank Group says Nigeria is one of the most expensive and difficult places to register and acquire property for businesses in the world.

This was contained in the findings of Word Bank Group entitled Doing Business in Nigeria 2014  and subtitled Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises which was launched yesterday in Abuja.

“In Nigeria, an entrepreneur has to go through 11 procedures over 78 days, and pay 15.8% of the value of the property to transfer a property, a situation which has earned her the position of one of the most difficult and expensive places to register property in the world.”

The report which examined 36 states and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja said registering property is easiest in Zamfara, where it takes nine procedures, 31 days, and 8.0% of the property value, unlike in Abia, where the same process takes 13 procedures, 108 days, and 15.9% of the property value.

Blaming the delays recorded, while trying to register property, on government bureaucracy, the report said, “The time is largely dependent on a single requirement: the state governor’s consent, which accounts for 65% of the total time, on average. The delay varies from four days in Gombe to six months in Anambra or Keffi.”
Findings also indicate that legal fees account for almost half of the total cost to register property apart from search fee, consent fee, registration fee and stamp duty.
It further stated that the registration fee varies from N2, 500 in Akwa Ibom to 5% of property value in Bauchi, Kano, Sokoto and Taraba.

Meanwhile, the report acknowledged considerable improvements in business environments of some states, with Ogun, Niger, Cross River, Ekiti and Rivers introducing “several high-powered reforms that narrowed the gap to best practices.”
“This year’s report recorded 34 improvements, of which 13 focused on starting a business, eight on dealing with construction permits, 10 on registering property, and three on enforcing contracts.”

National Award: Nigerians commend Jonathan on choice of recipients

Some Nigerians have hailed President Goodluck Jonathan’s inclusion of some ordinary people as recipients of the 2014 National Honours Awards.

In interviews with NAN on Monday, the respondents described the decision as commendable, adding that, it would encourage more Nigerians to be diligent in their endevours.

Mrs Kemi Abdulrasak, an Abuja-based civil servant, said “The president’s recognition of those ordinary people is really commendable and he should keep it up.

“This shows that diligence has reward and people would be encouraged to be more patriotic in whatever they do,” she said.

For Patrick Attaiye, an artist, it is a call to higher responsibility for the awardees.

“To whom much is given, much is expected. I am sure they didn’t know that their modest efforts were being noticed at the highest level. They should keep it up.”

Attaiye added that the President was so thoughtful to have awarded the Head of Presidential Stewards, Mr. Onuh Isaac Michaels.

“Onuh, who hails from Etutekpe Community in Olamaboro Local Government of Kogi State, is reputed to have served nine presidents to date.

“I believe he never taught of being awarded.”

However, Mr Abraham John, a pensioner, suggested that such awards should come with some financial incentive.

“Though the recognition is commendable, it could become valueless, if the awardees live in penury. I suggest that some financial incentive should be attached, especially for those poor awardees.”

A total of 313 Nigerians were honoured by the president at a ceremony that saw recipients who had distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavour bagging various categories of the national award.

Among the awardees, it was Mr. Imeh Usuah, an Abuja-based taxi driver who returned a large sum of money forgotten in his vehicle, Mr. Solomon Dauda, a traffic warden, and Mr. Onuh Isaac, a steward, who stole the show.

In addition to the award of the Member of the Order of the Niger, three of them also got house gifts in the Federal Capital Territory.

Jonathan also directed that the designer of the national flag, Pa Michael Akinkunmi, be placed on the salary of a Special Assistant to the President for life, in addition to his national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic.

The President charged the honourees to ensure that the awards were not seen as mere pieces of paper and garlands tied around their necks.

2015: INEC to Clamp Down on Early Campaigners

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday warned that it would henceforth take the necessary action against associations, corporate bodies, individuals, political parties, media or communication agencies, social media, candidates/aspirants who contravene the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and/or Electoral Act 2010 on public campaigns/rallies and processions.

In a statement titled, “Caution On Illegal Public Political Broadcast And Campaign” and addressed to all the national chairmen of   registered political parties, corporate entities, associations and the general public, the commission said its attention had been drawn to the insistent illegal campaigns carried out by associations, corporate entities, individuals, public and private media and other communication agencies in the country in contravention of the Constitution and the Electoral Act on the limitation of political broadcasts.

In the statement, which was signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta C. Ogakwu, the commission stressed that Section 99 of the Electoral Act 2010 prohibits broadcast and political campaigns earlier than 90 days before polling day.

Section 99 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 states: “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.”

It added that the relevant extracts of the Electoral Act have since been reproduced and circulated by the commission at public places, to media outfits, the Ministry of Information, National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Communications Commission (NCC), headquarters of the Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC), headquarters of state, FCT, local government area offices of INEC and the Federal Ministry of Environment for their information and proper guidance. 

Court awards el-Rufai N2m for unlawful detention •Orders SSS to apologise to him

THE Federal High Court in Awka, on Monday, ordered the State Security Services (SSS) to apologise to former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir El Rufai and pay him N2 million as damages for unlawful detention.

The court’s decision followed the events of November 15 and 16, 2013, during the last Anambra governorship election, when SSS officials detained and harassed El-Rufai at the Finotel, Awka.

Dissatisfied with his treatment and believing that the conduct of the SSS had no basis in law, El-Rufai approached the court for redress. He joined Attorney-General of the Federation with the SSS as respondents in the suit No: FHC/AWK/CS/310/13.

Delivering judgment in the suit in Awka, on Monday, the trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Bature Gafai, held that the SSS had no statutory powers under the constitution or under any Nigerian law to detain El-Rufai without showing cause to a court of competent jurisdiction.

The court, therefore, ordered the SSS to publish an apology in two national dailies for unlawful and unconstitutional violation of the former minister’s liberty.

In addition to the apology and monetary damages, the court declared that the respondents had no power under the constitution or under any Nigerian law to either impose a general restriction on movement or restrict the applicant’s constitutional right of freedom of movement, as enshrined in Section 34 of the constitution on account of the Anambra State governorship election, which took place on November 16, 2013 or any other election.

The court also declared that El-Rufai’s detention without charge, at the premises of Finotel Hotel, Akwa, Anambra State, between November 15 and 16, 2013, by SSS operatives (first respondent) constituted a gross violation of his right to personal liberty and freedom of movement and Articles 6 and 12(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and was, therefore, unconstitutional and illegal.

Other relief the court granted included “a declaration that the unlawful deprivation of the applicant, Mallam El-Rufai,  from granting/continued granting of interview with an AIT correspondent, Mr Obiorah Iloh and other mass media representatives within the premises of Finotel Hotel, Akwa, Anambra State, at about 2.00 p.m. of  November 16, 2013 by agents of SSS constitute a gross violation of the applicant’s freedom of expression and is accordingly unlawful unconstitutional and illegal.

“A declaration that the detention of the applicant at the premises of Finotel Hotel, Akwa, Anambra State, without charge,  with a view to denying the applicant, deputy national secretary and member/secretary electoral committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Anambra governorship election 2013, freedom to associates with fellow members of the said APC at Akwa, is a violation of the applicant’s right to peaceful assembly and association.”

The court also gave an order restraining the SSS from further detaining or in any other manner infringing on the fundamental rights of the former minister and an order for the award of compensation/damages to the applicant, in the sum of N2 million for the unlawful and unconstitutional detention/violation of his right to personal liberty, freedom of movement, freedom of association and expression.