Blog

NAN-H-44

Taxation

By Amen Gajira

Minna, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The Niger State Coalition for Business and Professional Associations (NICOBPA) says multiple taxation is stifling smooth operations and growth of business enterprises in the state.

The new elected chairman of the coalition, Alhaji Muhammed Lawal, made this known on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen in Minna‎.

“The incidence of multiple taxes is a major issue affecting the business community here in Niger State.

“This is because if you have to spend all your money on taxes for government, you won’t have enough for the survival of that business.

“And this boils down to tax officials’ personal greed and gains (corruption).

“This is why government needs to create awareness to help tax payers in identifying and determining legitimate taxes and tax collectors.’’

Lawal identified other problems militating against businesses in the state to include poor power supply, poor access to credit facilities as well as poor roads.

“Power supply is also an issue‎. In my own business I spend about N5,000 daily on diesel and petrol.

“Then, there is also problem of poor road and lack of access to credit facilities which is also stifling growth and expansion of enterprises‎.

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“Government needs to address this issues‎ as it will improve the business environment as well as boost government revenues tremendously.’’

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He said that NICOBPA was working on a business agenda outlining the problems being faced by the business community in the state as well as possible solutions to solving them.

According to him, the problems will be presented to the state government.

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“Presently, we are working on a business agenda for Niger and in due course it will be presented to the state government,’’ he said.

NAN reports that NICOBPA is a conglomeration of 23 private enterprises working in partnership with the Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) and was inaugurated in 2010‎. (NAN)

AMEN‎/EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama

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LG Autonomy: NULGE to begin massive mobilisation campaign in Kaduna

NAN-H-4

Autonomy

By Mohammad Tijjani

Kaduna, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The President, Kaduna State chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Mr Jabiru Danlami, has said that the union would soon begin massive mobilisation for the autonomy of local councils in the state.

Danlami told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Tuesday in Kaduna that the campaign was to pave way for better local government administration.

He expressed delight over the comments of President Muhammadu Buhari backing the autonomy of local governments in the country.

Danlami said NULGE would tour the 23 local government areas of the state, to sensitise its members and seek the support of key stakeholder to push for the autonomy.

The NULGE official believed that Nigerians especially at the grassroots would benefit more if local councils were allowed to control their affairs.

“ Local governments, being closest to the people, are widely acknowledged to be viable instrument for rural transformation and delivery of social services to the people.

“Making them fully autonomous would go a long way in improving the living standard of the rural populace.

“It is not just about giving money to local governments, it is about service to the people, taking care of local infrastructure, providing vital services, and raising the level of development at the grassroots.”(NAN)

TJ/MZA

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Edited and Controlled by Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-H-42
Award
By Kate Obande
Abuja, Sept.20, 2016 (NAN) The Nigeria Safe School Association (NISSA) has concluded plan to confer honorary award on the Nigerian Army for its sacrifice in ensuring safety and security in educational institutions.

Mr Dauda Rasheed, Programme Director of the association, made the statement on Tuesday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that the award was meant to encourage the military that their efforts in promoting security was recognised and appreciated.

“The award is a symbolic gesture of appreciation from education stakeholders and members of the association.

“The officers and men of the Nigerian Army have been able to liberate schools from terrorists in the North-East Zone of the country due to their gallantry and sacrifice.

“Their efforts in re-opening of schools in the zone and ensuring security of staff and pupils are highly commendable,’’ he said.

He noted that all the schools in the zone could have been shut down permanently if not for the joint efforts of the military and other security agencies.

Rasheed also commended the Nigerian Army for facilitating other security agencies and organising capacity building conferences for education stakeholders on how to guarantee safe school.

He urged the military to do everything humanly possible to bring the efforts made towards rescuing the Chibok girls to a successful closure.

He urged Nigerians to come together and pray for the safe return of the girls.

He named the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Fire Service as the collaborating agencies, adding that they would also be awarded.

Rasheed said that the awards would be presented to the recipients on Sept. 27, 2016 in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the forthcoming Safe School Summit.

He said that the summit was organised to build capacity and structures for mainstreaming a new anti-cult policy in the country. (NAN)

KTE/MO/AEA
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Edited by Morayo Omolade and Controlled by Archibong Asuquo

Coy drags Navy to commission for alleged rights violation

NAN-H-43
Petition
By Edith Nwapi
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) A company, Lexy Nigeria Ltd., has dragged the Navy to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) alleging violation of its rights.

The company in a five-page petition dated Sept. 9 to the commission, alleged that the Navy failed to respect the agreement entered with the company for the development of the Navy Town Estate., Asokoro, Abuja.

The petition signed by its Managing Director, Mr Leye Adetipe, said the company on May 19, 2015, entered into an agreement with the Naval Building and Construction Company Limited to develop the estate.

“This is to cover a total area of 95 hectare after a Board Resolution of the Nigerian Navy Holdings Limited was passed to this effect on the 6^th of May, 2015, authorising the joint venture agreement.”

The petition also alleged that at the time of the agreement, the present Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas was the Group Managing Director of the Navy Holdings Limited.

“He was satisfied with the agreement before it was signed by both parties“.

The company claimed that a power of attorney was executed by the parties pursuant to the actualisation of the agreement wherein the Naval Building and Construction Company donated some power to the company.

The company also claimed that the Nigerian Navy violated Articles 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the agreement.

“Article 7 provides that all proceeds of sale of the housing units and developments shall be paid into a special purpose account to be opened and operated by both parties.

“No party shall withdraw from the said account without the consent of the other,”  the petition stated.

The company further claimed that the Nigerian Navy Holdings thereafter passed a board resolution to this effect and Access Bank Plc., was named as the bank where the joint venture account would be opened.

“However, contrary to the resolution in Article 7 the Nigerian Navy opened an account with another bank.”

Article 8 placed an obligation on the Naval Building and Construction to deliver the title document to Levy Nigeria Limited while article 9 provided that Levy shall select and engage contractors, among others.

The company claimed that contrary to this, a company brought by Levy was used to replace the petitioner .

“They are doing their best to illegally eject my company and others engaged by my company as armed naval personnel invaded the project site on Feb. 19 beat up a lot of staff and chased us out“ the petition stated.

Levy further claimed that on March 29 a letter was written to the Managing Director of the Naval Building and Construction, Navy Commodore Abdul Adamu and the  Chief of Naval Staff  was copied.

The petitioner said that it pointed out the breaches committed by the Naval Building and Construction and called for a meeting which was ignored.

The company prayed the commission to look into the issues and if found to be right award N10 billion as damages to the petitioner.

It urged the commission to restrain Naval Holdings from tampering with the members of the company and ensure that both parties comply with the agreed agreement.

The company plead with the commission to direct that there should be no self-help in the implementation of the agreement voluntarily entered by both parties.

It further urged the commission to investigate the illegal construction work going on at the project site.

Responding, the NHRC Executive Secretary, Prof. Bem Angwe, commended the company for taking this step instead of taking laws into its hands.

“The commission will study the petition and give the other parties fair hearing.

“ The commission will engage all the departments involved to have a thorough investigations into the matter after which we shall look into your prayers,” Angwe said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Monitoring Department of the Commission was refused access into the project site when it went on` the spot assessment `after the petition was lodged.

The Director Monitoring Unit, Mr Tony Ojukwu, said that on the spot assessment was necessary to find out whether the allegation by a petitioner holds water.

“ We were denied access to the place; we will draw the attentions of the Navy and its management because they may not have known this aspect of our mandate.

“What the commission is doing is to mediate,” Ojukwu said. (NAN)
NEO/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

NAN-HE-6
Smugglers
By Aminu Ahmed Garko
Sokoto, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The Sokoto Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday said it had introduced stringent measures to check all forms of smuggling in the area.

Alhaji Sani Madugu, its Comptroller, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto.

He said that officers posted to border posts had been adequately briefed on various methods to be adopted in their jurisdictions.

“Our area of supervision is no go area for any smuggler as competent officers have been put on red alert in strategic areas to ensure arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the illegal businesses”, he said.

Madugu said that the command had educated the border communities, through their royal fathers, on the negative effects smuggling had on the nation’s economy.

He solicited for more support, particularly from the royal fathers, in mobilising their people to offer intelligence reports on the movement of smugglers. (NAN)
AAG/TA
Edited/controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-HE-6
Smugglers
By Aminu Ahmed Garko
Sokoto, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The Sokoto Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday said it had introduced stringent measures to check all forms of smuggling in the area.

Alhaji Sani Madugu, its Comptroller, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto.

He said that officers posted to border posts had been adequately briefed on various methods to be adopted in their jurisdictions.

“Our area of supervision is no go area for any smuggler as competent officers have been put on red alert in strategic areas to ensure arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the illegal businesses”, he said.

Madugu said that the command had educated the border communities, through their royal fathers, on the negative effects smuggling had on the nation’s economy.

He solicited for more support, particularly from the royal fathers, in mobilising their people to offer intelligence reports on the movement of smugglers. (NAN)
AAG/TA
Edited/controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-DS-37

Arrest

By Emmanuel Acha

Enugu, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The police in Enugu, has arrested no fewer than 12 suspected members of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), the state command’s spokesman, Mr Ebere Amarizu, has said.

A statement signed by Amarizu and made available to newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday said that the suspects were arrested during their ‘sit-at-home’ campaign at the Ogbette Main Market in Enugu.

It stated that the suspects allegedly went into the market with a public address system and ordered the traders to observe a sit-at-home directive on Sept. 23.

“Suspects were arrested by our operatives, as the alleged announcement was being carried out and 21 handsets were recovered from them.

“Also recovered, include flags suspected to be that of the group with their insignia, public address systems, one wireless microphone,” the statement said.

The statement stated that the suspects would be arraigned in court after investigation.

Meanwhile, Amarizu said that the command had collaborated with other sister agencies to beef up security in parts of the state so as to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

“We advise the public not to allow themselves to be used under any guise to cause mischief, as anyone caught will be made to face the full wrath of the law,” Amarizu said.

The IPOB had earlier threatened to shut down economic and social activities in parts of the country on Sept. 23 to back up their demands from the Federal Government.

Some of their demands include the release of their leader, Mr Nnamdi Kanu and other members of the group in detention, who are facing trials in the law courts. (NAN)

EOA/ORO/YEMI

Edited by Razak Owolabi

Controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju

CDAs veritable platforms for anti-graft war at grassroots, says Ogun Govt.

NAN-H-10
CDAs
By Ikemefuna Taire Okudolo
Ikorodu (Lagos State), Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) Ogun Government says community development associations (CDAs) will be used to take the national anti-graft campaign to the grassroots.

It said CDAs were key to the success of the anti-corruption war in the country.

The government, speaking through Mr Moshood Rasheed, Deputy Director, Community Development Department, Sagamu Local Government, said embezzlement and mismanagement of public funds from CDA level to the highest level of leadership should be eradicated.

“Many community leaders are facing probes by the anti-corruption agencies of the Federal Government for their misconduct while in office.

“Corrupt CDA leaders will not be spared in the war against corruption as being championed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“CDAs are organs recognised by state and local government laws and that is why their affairs are regulated by the government.

“The government will no longer tolerate mismanagement and other forms of corrupt practices by CDAs,’’ he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Ikorodu at the inauguration of Ereko CDA, a Lagos/Ogun border community.

Rasheed urged exemplary conduct and selfless service by the grassroots leaders.

The official also task CDAs to also join start and national electoral bodies in stepping up voter education in their communities.

In her comment, Mrs Silifat Orekoya, from the State Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives, also said CDAs should promote transparency and accountability in the running of their affairs.

“The government is focusing on CDAs because of their strategic importance to the rapid transformation of the rural areas.

“In a recession like ours, CDAs should come on board to provide infrastructure such as roads, street lights and water,’’ she said.

The 12-member executive committee is chaired by Mr Moshood Adesanya, while Mr Taiwo Bakre serves as the Secretary and Mr Muideen Yusuf, the Financial Secretary.

Meanwhile, a retired police officer, who is an executive member of Ereko CDA, Mr John Atodo, has promised to bring his experience to bear in the running of the association.

He told NAN after the inauguration that the era of appropriating CDA funds was over.

“We will ensure regular audit of the finances of the association for accountability.

“Regular inspection of CDA activities by government officials is a welcome development.’’ (NAN)

PTI/DA
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(Edited & controlled by Dele Akinsola)

NAN-HE-18
Assets
Monday Ijeh
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) Two university dons on Tuesday cautioned the Federal Government against the sale of its assets to revive the nation’s economy from the current recession.

Professors Abdulhameed Ujo and Sule Magaji, both of the University of Abuja, described the call on government to sell its assets at the peak of recession as “selfish’’.

NAN recalls that Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Group had in a recent interview advised that selling government’s assets could be the best way to get the country out of recession.

Dangote called on the Federal Government to consider selling of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas and other dormant but huge capital generating sectors and invest the proceeds in the economy.

However, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, the political scientist and the economist noted that recession time was not the best period to sell off government assets.

“To me, anybody advising government to sell its assets at this period of recession is not aware of the principles behind government ownership of some assets.

“If government has to disinvest, it must not be in haste and must be in a time when the economy is developing or developed such that the citizens can have a stake in the investment.

“But now that the recession is at its peak, it will amount to selling the economy.

“When this is done, government will have little or no say and will become government of the investors instead of government of the people,” Magaji said.

The economics professor urged those advising government to sell its assets to revive the economy to support investment in productive activities.

According to him, recession is not a new phenomenon in economics as many developed nations have gone through one form of recession or the other.

Magaji said that the approach to recovery could make or mar a country.

“It can make a country when the country is able to take appropriate measures while on the other hand, it can mar a country where it is misled to borrow or over-devalue its own currency.

“Continuous reliance on importation of goods and services as well as exportation of crude raw materials instead of finished products could hinder recovery during recession.

“It is actually dangerous for government to borrow for the purpose of importing food stuff and other items when there is recession.

“The implication is that the government will continue in a virtuous cycle of poverty,” Magaji told NAN.

For Prof. Ujo, the fundamental issues surrounding recession must first be addressed in order not to further deepen the current crisis.

According to the political scientist, those advocating for sale of government assets are businessmen wanting to buy them off from the government.

“Given the nature of our system, the asset will be sold to them at a giveaway price and that is why they are advocating for the sale.

“We all know that Nigeria is a capitalist state, but then we should be very careful in operating capitalism.

“There is no country that adopts rugged capitalism; even in the U.S., there are some elements of public-private sector involvement.

“So, let these Nigerian capitalists not draw us into it because most of them do not know the theory of capitalism,” Ujo said.

He called for a comprehensive research into how to get out of the country’s current recession and urged government to always weigh options before taking decisions.

“There are certain fundamental problems that are hindering the realisation of our economic policies and we must not run away from it.

“The major problem we have is our over reliance on oil and it becomes a major challenge because we failed to diversify the economy over the years,” he added. (NAN)
IMC/WOJ/GY
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Edited by Wole Ojetimi/Grace Yussuf

NAN-HE-3
Investments
Osogbo, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) Alhaji Bola Oyebamiji, the Managing Director of Osun State Investments Company, on Tuesday said the state was now investing in diverse areas to broaden its revenue sources.

Oyebamiji, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo, said the new drive became important in view of the current economic realities in Nigeria.

He said Gov. Rauf Aregbesola was now committed to creating alternative sources of revenue as the federal monthly allocations to states had continued to decrease abysmally.

The former banker said that about 1,500 hectares of land had been acquired for cocoa plantation at Igbo-Ifa in Obokun Local Government in Iwo.

He said that several multi-million naira property were also being acquired in major cities of Nigeria to generate revenue for the state through rents.

“Our company has estates spread all over the country with 34 three-bedroom apartments in Lagos, 14 flats in Abuja and another 19 flats in Ikoyi, Lagos.

“We also identified large scale cultivation of cocoa and palm trees as a long-term panacea to the dwindling economic fortunes of Osun.

“The state has what it takes to revive its economy if cocoa and oil palm cultivation is embraced.

“Cocoa and oil palm cultivation has comparative advantage over other crops, coupled with mixed cropping system that helps to sustain farmers before the harvest of cash crops.
“Until Nigerians are able to produce the substantial part of what we consume, our economy will continue to dwindle,” Oyebamiji said.

The company managing director said that the company was planning to establish a petroleum refinery to be located at Dagbolu in Olorunda local Government area of the state. (NAN)
DOO/ORO/TA
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Edited by Razak Owolabi and controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi