Buhari replaces Head of Service, Kifasi with Winifred Oyo-Ita

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday removed the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi and replaced him with Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, current Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology.

She is 51 years old.

Mr Kifasi was due to retire on January, 1, 2016 when he will clock 60.

His last day would have been December 31, 2015. He would have proceeded on three months pre-retirement leave since the beginning of October, if he were to observe his terminal leave.

Though details of the development were sketchy at press time, The Guardian was told by competent sources last night that the new Head of Service, a chartered accountant, who hails from Cross River State, is to be there in an acting capacity, though the office does not require Senate approval but a direct presidential appointment.

Winifred Oyo-Ita

This development came last night even as sources hinted that the president might consider retiring all permanent secretaries that have spent more than four years considered to be the end of the first tenure. Permanent Secretaries are entitled to two terms of eight years only under the tenure regime the Umaru Yar’Adua administration put in place in 2009.

Signs of Trouble
A source in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) told The Guardian that Kifasi has been a regular visitor to the office but yesterday’s visit was different in all respects, as it was quite unusual.
“He came to see the SGF as early as 8.00 a.m and we all wondered what brought him so early. He looked really worried. He went into the SGF’s office immediately for a private discussion.

Two Permanent Secretaries and about three Directors also came in , but they all left as quickly as they got in, having obviously been told that they were not needed.

“After about 20 minutes or so of private discussion with the SGF, Kifasi left. It was obvious something was amiss, but we could not confirm what it was”, The Guardian was told.

The Guardian confirmed that Kifasi, a chartered accountant and lawyer has not really been in the good books of the Presidency, but was allowed to tarry on because he is due to retire in December .

That was before something else came up, bordering on loyalty and ethics, backed up with documented evidence. With this the Presidency could not tolerate him any longer.

Another source attributed the change of guard at the HOS to imperative for political balance, given that the SGF Mr.Babachir Lawal who hails from Adamawa is from the same geopolitical zone as Kifasi who comes from Taraba State.

It was gathered last night that Oyo-Ita Ekanem will  take over from Kifasi today.

Oyo-Ita Ekanem hails from Adiabo community of Odukpani Local Council of Cross Rivers State, was born in April 1964, educated at the Queens College Yaba, graduated at the University of Lagos in 1984 with B.Sc Accounting and holds a Master’s degree from the Nasarawa State University
She was Director, Finance and Accounts at the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Before her appointment as the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology in April 2014, Oyo-Ita was Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.



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Buhari replaces Head of Service, Kifasi with Winifred Oyo-Ita

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday removed the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi and replaced him with Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, current Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology.

She is 51 years old.

Mr Kifasi was due to retire on January, 1, 2016 when he will clock 60.

His last day would have been December 31, 2015. He would have proceeded on three months pre-retirement leave since the beginning of October, if he were to observe his terminal leave.

Though details of the development were sketchy at press time, The Guardian was told by competent sources last night that the new Head of Service, a chartered accountant, who hails from Cross River State, is to be there in an acting capacity, though the office does not require Senate approval but a direct presidential appointment.

Winifred Oyo-Ita

This development came last night even as sources hinted that the president might consider retiring all permanent secretaries that have spent more than four years considered to be the end of the first tenure. Permanent Secretaries are entitled to two terms of eight years only under the tenure regime the Umaru Yar’Adua administration put in place in 2009.

Signs of Trouble
A source in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) told The Guardian that Kifasi has been a regular visitor to the office but yesterday’s visit was different in all respects, as it was quite unusual.
“He came to see the SGF as early as 8.00 a.m and we all wondered what brought him so early. He looked really worried. He went into the SGF’s office immediately for a private discussion.

Two Permanent Secretaries and about three Directors also came in , but they all left as quickly as they got in, having obviously been told that they were not needed.

“After about 20 minutes or so of private discussion with the SGF, Kifasi left. It was obvious something was amiss, but we could not confirm what it was”, The Guardian was told.

The Guardian confirmed that Kifasi, a chartered accountant and lawyer has not really been in the good books of the Presidency, but was allowed to tarry on because he is due to retire in December .

That was before something else came up, bordering on loyalty and ethics, backed up with documented evidence. With this the Presidency could not tolerate him any longer.

Another source attributed the change of guard at the HOS to imperative for political balance, given that the SGF Mr.Babachir Lawal who hails from Adamawa is from the same geopolitical zone as Kifasi who comes from Taraba State.

It was gathered last night that Oyo-Ita Ekanem will  take over from Kifasi today.

Oyo-Ita Ekanem hails from Adiabo community of Odukpani Local Council of Cross Rivers State, was born in April 1964, educated at the Queens College Yaba, graduated at the University of Lagos in 1984 with B.Sc Accounting and holds a Master’s degree from the Nasarawa State University
She was Director, Finance and Accounts at the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Before her appointment as the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology in April 2014, Oyo-Ita was Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.



 Read more... 

Lagos, Oh! Our Lagos

I have always had this pet theory, that in Lagos, criminals and miscreants and law breakers and those who generally operate outside of the fringes of what is legally codified for social order and good government have made it a point of duty to test if every new government, nay every new governor, has balls. From our recent history, any new governor in Lagos, appointed or elected, has less than three months to impose the force of his administration on those who live by a different code of conduct, or lose the plot. When a new government wastes too much time to immediately, to borrow a military parlance, dominate its environment, it emboldens criminals and their associates to spread their wings. And when that happens, Lagosians, not being very patient people, easily tune off. And when that also happens, that government, permit my language, is in deep shit.

I still remember the lethargy that pervaded the administration of the late Sir Michael Otedola between 1992 and 1993 despite a general breakdown of law and order in Lagos. In no time, he was given the sobriquet, Baba Go Slow, and he quickly lost the people. I remember the helplessness of then Col. Olagunsoye Oyinlola, appointed administrator of Lagos State following the late Gen. Sani Abacha coup in December 1993. He was easily nicknamed ‘No Bitumen’, arising from his stock answer to questions on why roads in Lagos were so terribly bad.

Edo Gov. Oshiomhole reshuffles cabinet

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State effected some minor cabinet reshuffle in the State Executive Council at its meeting held Tuesday.

A statement by Peter Okhiria,Chief Press Secretary outline how the commissioners have been moved thus:Hon Isimeme Iriogbe, from the Ministry of Oil and Gas to the Ministry of Transport;Hon Saturday Uwulekhue, from Ministry of Transport to Ministry of Oil and Gas, Hon Aanena Jemitola, from Ministry of Arts & Culture to Ministry of Women Affairs;Hon Abdul Oroh, from Ministry of Agriculture to Ministry of Commerce and Industry;

Man hospitalised after sleeping with friend’s wife

A 21- year- old man in Ugbona village, Ishieke community Ebonyi local government area of Ebonyi State, Orima Onyebuchi has been hospitalised after having sex with his friend’s wife.

Onyebuchi has been allegedly having affairs with the woman until the last one which resulted in his hospitalization.

He had a day after the sex complained of serious pain in his private which became very serious leading to his rush to some local hospitals in the area for treatment including prayer house as the sickness persisted.

At the prayer house where he narrated having affair with his friend’s wife to the pastor, the pastor advised him to confess the act to his friend, Friday Nwankwo following the deterioration of his health which he did.

But after the confession Tuesday, he was asked to provide N250, 000 to enable Nwankwo destroy the charm (juju) that caused the sickness for having affairs with his wife.

Nwankwo said he had been suspecting Onyebuchi and his wife’s relationship and has to get the charm from a native doctor to stop the relationship and insisted that he must be given the N250,000 for the man to free himself from the ‘bondage’.

Sensing that Nwankwo was determined to allow Onyebuchi to die, the suspect’s parents offered N50, 000 which Nwankwo rejected.

The parents then left home and started selling-off some of their properties to be able to raise the amount.

Dailypost

Buhari flags off N600m Calabar-Katsina-Ala Highway

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday performed the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the 260km dual carriage road to link Calabar to Northern Nigeria.

Speaking at the event held at Obung Village, Netim Clam, Akampa local government area of Cross River State, Buhari expressed the commitment of the Federal Government to the speedy completion of the project, which is scheduled to be completed within the next four to five years.

The project, he said, is expected to open the doors of opportunity for the people of Cross River State and Nigeria as a whole.

He said: “When completed, this road, which starts from the seaport and terminates at the boundary between Cross River and Benue States will link the southern part of Nigeria to the North-Central, the North-East and ultimately Central Africa.

“This will undoubtedly expand the boundaries of our economy by providing countries such as Niger Republic and Chad access to the seaport.

He commended the state governor and his team for creating a new vista of business opportunities for Cross River and the rest of the country.

The 260km super highway, which is an evacuation corridor from a deep seaport in Bakassi, is expected to reduce travel time between Calabar and Katsina-Ala from about six hours to one hour and 30 minutes.

The super highway and the sea port projects are estimated to cost about N700 billion.

The Nation

70-year-old man arrested for impersonating Buhari’s adviser

Capital Territory have arrested a 70-year-old man, Adamu Sule, who was impersonating as the Special Adviser to the President on Defence Matters.

The police said Sule who specialises in defrauding influential people was arrested at a house in Maitama area of Abuja where he claimed to have met a former governor.

A statement by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Manzah Anjuguri, on Monday said police detectives arrested Sule following a tip-off last Sunday.

Items recovered from the suspect include a fake identity card bearing Col. Adamu Sule, Senior Special Adviser to the President and five complimentary cards.

The statement partly read, “Upon his arrest, the suspect confessed to the police that the claim that he served in the army and that he is the Senior Special Adviser to the President were all falsified.

“He also confessed that he only hides under that guise to solicit for juicy contracts or financial favour from his high profile victims.”

Anjuguri stated that the suspect had been transferred to the Command Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department for further investigation.

The police also arrested a member of a notorious syndicate that specialises in producing and circulating fake N1,000 notes to unsuspecting members of the public.

The suspect was arrested around Royal Park in Wuse 2, Abuja where he had gone to buy N200 recharge card with a fake N1,000 note.

The FCT Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, enjoined members of the public to be vigilant and to always provide the police with information about criminals and their nefarious activities.

He also enjoined the FCT residents to take advantage of the FCT Police Command emergency helplines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883.

Meanwhile, the police have reiterated the ban on fireworks and fire-crackers in the country.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, in a statement cautioned Nigerians to desist from using fireworks, noting that the ban on it is still in force.

Source: Punch

ENTERING THE WORLD OF OGBONI

OTUNBA FRANCIS MESHIOYE

Held in awe by many, misunderstood by most, the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, nevertheless thrives on a wave of controversy. In its 100th year, the ROF is eager to dispel many myths and old wives tales about it. Nseobong Okon-Ekong enters the intriguing world of the leader of the society, Olori Oluwo, Otunba Francis Meshioye

You would be forgiven to think that the head of the controversial society, Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (ROF) is an old, wizened and feeble man who supports his gait with a staff. The vibrant middle-aged man who held court in his expansive living room at Maryland-Lagos did not fit that description. Yes, he was dressed in a flowing white agbada, his wrist and neck shackled with shiny red beads - a fitting dress for the global head of a Yoruba cultural and spiritual sorority. A chair hewed out of fine, polished wood is mounted on a little dais in a vantage position where he sat, striking a regal pose. Otunba Francis Meshioye commanded the presence of royalty. Two of his lieutenants were already seated when we joined them. With the introduction formalities over, he signaled to the bottle of Hennessey XO, bidding me to have a drink. But I’d enjoyed much hospitality in his waiting lounge and I was eager to engage him.

10th Wole Soyinka Award For Investigative Reporting Calls For Entries

Press Statement

The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ)
invites entries from Nigerian reporters for the 10th Wole Soyinka
Award for Investigative Reporting from the 4th of October 2015. The
award programme, true to its tradition, will honour works that
involve reporting on public and or corporate corruption, human
rights abuses or on the failure of regulatory agencies.
This year, the award plans to reward outstanding reporters from
print, radio, television, online, photography and editorial cartoon
categories. The submitted stories must have first been published or
broadcast in a Nigerian media between 4th October 2014 and 3rd
October 2015.
In addition to the entry coding system which makes the details of
media house and by-line of entrants anonymous to judges
introduced in 2012, the WSCIJ now converts entries to electronic
format before sending to judges. The electronic entries system is
helping to ease scoring for judges and enable the inclusion of
persons from across Nigeria and abroad to participate in the judging
process.
Entries will be scored by a panel of judges drawn from the media
and related professions who are passionate about investigative
reporting. Over all, judges will be looking for ethical reporting
courage, individual creativity and public benefit.
Interested reporters may visitwww.wscij.org for details of the 2015
award. The deadline for submission of entries is 4pm onFriday, 23
October 2015.

Signed:

Motunrayo Alaka

Centre Coordinator

motunrayo@wscij.org

entries@wscij.org

Seoul: N. Korea to release detained South Korean student

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea said Monday North Korea will release a detained South Korean student from New York University.

Won Moon Joo, 21, who has permanent resident status in the United States, was arrested in April for allegedly entering North Korea illegally across the Chinese border.

Seoul's Unification Ministry said in a statement North Korea has told South Korea that it will repatriate Joo through the border village of Panmunjom on Monday.

Last month, Joo was presented to the media in Pyongyang and said he had not been able to contact his family but wanted them to know he was healthy. For most of the 30-minute appearance, Joo read a prepared — and probably coached — speech full of praise for the country, its government and people.

Other foreigners who have been detained in the North have said after their release that they were coerced or coached closely on what to say in such statements.

South Korea says North Korea is holding three other South Korean nationals and has urged Pyongyang to return them.

The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

AP

Porsche Crashes Into Crowd, Injuring 26 People

A supercar has careered into dozens of spectators at a charity event in Malta – critically injuring five people, including a young girl.

The Porsche Spyder was travelling at high speed along a disused airport runway when it clipped the grass and crashed through the barriers into a crowd.

It is believed 26 people were injured in total, and a six-year-old is among those badly hurt.

Nine people suffered cuts or fractures and needed hospital care, including the driver – and he is believed to be British.

The Paqpaqli Ghall-Istrina event, where the accident happened, is an annual fundraiser which is organised by the Maltese government.

Dashcam footage uploaded to YouTube showed the supercar making its final lap before the crash happened on Sunday afternoon.

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca has said she is heartbroken and traumatised by the major incident, according to The Times of Malta.

Sky News

Celtic manager blames Efe Ambrose for costly 'stupid mistake'

Ronny Deila blamed Efe Ambrose for "a stupid mistake" that allowed Fenerbahce to work their way back into the Europa League clash and earn a share of the spoils at Celtic Park.

Leigh Griffiths and Kris Commons had given the Scottish Champions the lead inside the first half hour but a defensive blunder by Efe Ambrose let Fernandao pull a goal back before the break.

The substitute then struck a second just minutes after the second-half got underway with the home side unable to find a winner.

Deila said errors like the Nigerian's are punished at Europa League level and his lack of concentration cost Celtic dearly in the 2-2 draw.

"When you are defending you need to keep concentration for 90 minutes and that is the biggest challenge Efe has," the manager said.

STV

"He plays 88 minutes very good but he sometimes makes some easy mistakes and today was one of them. As a defender you have to keep concentration for 90 minutes.

"I think we had good control over them but of course we made a stupid mistake which happens in football, but you get punished when you are in Europe.

"I think we played well in the first half, we got 2-0 up and it was important to keep that lead into the break. I thought we would have had a very good chance in the second-half but we conceded an easy goal and that gave them energy and put us on the back foot a little bit.

"They had us for 15 minutes in the second-half, they didn't create a lot but got the second goal from the set-play and it was disappointing that they scored with the two chances they had.

"In the second-half I think we were a little bit too deep. We made some changes and got more into the game and we kept the ball more. You can see that when we believe in ourselves, and we dare to play football, we are a good team and that's what we have to do more."

Clinton raises $28M in past three months — Sanders just behind

WASHINGTON — Hillary Rodham Clinton‘s campaign says it raised $28 million in the past three months to fuel her 2016 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton is trailed tightly by Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose campaign says it raised more than $24 million in that time.

Clinton’s campaign says 93 percent of the donations were $100 or less. More than 60 percent came from women.

Sanders’ campaign says it raised at least $1.5 million on Wednesday, the last day of the fundraising period. Campaign spokesman Michael Briggs says most of the contributions came online.

Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook says in a statement that she is “thrilled and grateful” for the support

AP

Full Text: President Buhari’s Independence Day Speech

October 1, 2015

By President Muhammadu Buhari

October 1st is a day for joy and celebrations for us Nigerians, whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago; we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness.

No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honouring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet. We have in addition arable land; water; forests; oil and gas; coastline; and solid minerals

We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress.

Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of purpose.

Nonetheless, that we have remained together is an achievement we should all appreciate and try to consolidate. We have witnessed this year a change in our democratic development.

The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system. Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences.

As I said in my inaugural speech, I bear no ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.

My countrymen and women, every new government inherits problems. Ours was no different. But what Nigerians want are solutions, quick solutions not a recitation of problems inherited.

Accordingly, after consultations with the Vice President, senior party leaders and other senior stakeholders, I quickly got down to work on the immediate, medium-term and long-term problems which we must solve if we are to maintain the confidence which Nigerians so generously bestowed on us in the March elections and since then.

As you know, I toured the neighbouring countries, marshalled a coalition of armed forces of the five nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram. I met also the G-7 leaders and other friendly presidents in an effort to build an international coalition against Boko Haram.

Our gallant armed forces under new leadership have taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run.

That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as I.D.P. camps is indicative of their cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places. On power, government officials have held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost-effective way.

In the meantime, improvement in the power supply is moderately encouraging. By the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country. All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better.

Preliminary steps have been taken to sanitize NNPC and improve its operations so that the inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum.

Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped.

In addition to NNPC, I have ordered a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation. Prudent house-keeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources.

We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing.

At an early stage, the federal government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, a situation capable of degenerating into social unrest. The APC government stepped in to provide short-term support to the debtor states and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the livelihood of millions of Nigerians.

Fellow Nigerians, there have been a lot of anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in announcement of ministers. There is no cause to be anxious. Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over. Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal Government structure after studying the hand over notes. It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalized the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.

Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course. Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for CHANGE is all about.

I would like to end my address this morning on our agenda for CHANGE. Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring change about. We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behaviour in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.

Happy Independence Celebrations. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

SEC directs registrars to use e-dividend portal

 The Security and Exchange Commission has directed all registrars to commence the use of the e-Dividend Mandate Management System Portal, which it launched in July this year.

In a circular to the registrars, the commission said the system was ready for use by all banks and registrars in the country following the training of the staff of the registrars, adding that banks would soon be asked to stop the verification of paper mandates.

The commission had said earlier this month that investors could now enroll for e-dividend payments at banks and registrar branches nationwide through the online platform.

According to the commission, the development follows the release of a circular on the implementation of the e-dividend mandate management system portal by the Central Bank of Nigeria to all Deposit Money Banks on Monday.

The commission had explained that the e-dividend scheme had been a priority initiative for the entire capital market in a bid to curb the growth of unclaimed dividends and improve the overall efficiency of Nigeria’s equities markets.

“The e-DMMS portal utilises NIBSS’ (Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System) robust document management system to which e-dividend mandate forms filled by the investor can be uploaded,” it explained, adding that the e-dividend form could be obtained and properly filled at bank branches or in the office of a registrar.

In a new circular to all registrars dated September 22, the commission, which disclosed that the portal was ready for use, said, “It is therefore mandatory for every registrar to immediately commence the use of the e-Dividend Mandate Management System Portal as directives will soon be issued to banks to discontinue the verification of paper mandates presented to bank branches.”

According to the commission, all registrars’ offices/accredited outlets shall be points of upload of completed e-dividend mandate forms by investors who may alternatively approach their banker to process their completed e-dividend mandate forms.

It also said, “Every registrar shall validate investor’s shareholder account number, name, signature and clearing house number.”

This, according to it, shall be followed with the upload of scanned copy of completed e-dividend mandate forms on to the portal for immediate access by the investor’s nominated bank for the verification of his/her bank account details.

In processing the forms, it urged the registrars to be cautious, saying, “Registrars shall exercise caution when validating names generated by the system for the clearing house number, shareholder account number and bank account number against the physical form to ensure there is a reasonable level of congruence before the document is accepted and saved on the portal.”

Among other things, the commission said investors should be educated to complete separate forms for each shareholder’s account number, as upload of e-dividend mandate forms should be on the basis of individual shareholder number and company of investment indicated by the investor on the physical e-dividend mandate form.

For seamless integration and use of the portal, the commission advised the registrars to contact the NIBSS for the required integration requirements and access rights to the portal and any further clarifications required towards a smooth operation of the new system.

Punch

Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II Posts Note On Marriage Controversy: A Must Read

” I am sure NC members all have their views and have kept quiet out of (appropriate) deference to our right to make our individual choice. Obviously I do not need to explain anything to anyone in a purely personal matter but a few points are worthy of note:

1. The lady in question is 18 and thererfore legally of age to marry under all laws and certainly inder Muslim law

2. She is proceeding for her undergraduate education in the UK in january. She had an A in computer science in her O levels and plans to get a degree in computer science

3 each and everyone of my wives is a university graduate and some have worked and fhen stopped and in each case the choice was purely theirs

4. It is a tradition in Kano that emirs and princes in choosing wives consider issues beyond the individual. The family is in every sense a social unit. My predecessor was married to princesses from Ilorin, Katsina and Somoto

5 The relationship between the late Lamido of Adamawa Aliyu Musdafa the father of the current Lamido is well known. Lamido Aliyu was the first emir turbanned after emir Sanusi I and they remained close until Sanusi’s death. 

6. My own relationship with the current Lamido dates back to 1981 when he was Ciroma and commissioner for works. By the way the Lamido and I are not illiterates we know what we are doing and he does have a PhD in Engineering

7. My own mother was married in Adamawa and lived there for more than two decades and I have eight younger brothers and sisters from there

8 it is therefore natural that if I choose to marry from another kingdom Adamawa would be the first choice for me and I am extremely happy to strengthen these ling historical bonds

9. The young lady in question gave her free consent and even after the contract the wedding will not happen for a few years. By then she may be 21. If she freely consents to this I do not know on what moral grounds anyone has a grouse. She is an adult, she gave her consent, her education is not being in anyway interrupted. 

10. The real issue is that people do not accept cultural difference. And you can see it in the approach to these issues. I am supposed to be urbane and western educated. Yes but i am not european. I am a northern Nigerian Fulani Muslim brought up in a setting exactly like the one my children are being brought up in. 

If you read this and it improves your understanding of this issue that is fine. If it does not justvremember it us not your life, it is not your daughter and you are not my wife therefore it is not your business. 

I obviously cannot stoop to the level of responding publicly to these kinds of articles. I have always been an advocate of girls marrying after maturing. I personally like the minimum age of 18 even though i understand those who say 16 is fine and indeed this is the law in most so calked @advanced@ countries. 

Is this something that I expect a european or western trained or feminist mind to appreciate or endorse? Not at all. But has any american been bothered about my views on men marrying men or women marrying women which frankly I find primitive and bestial? No and my views do not matter. These are cultural issues. 

Even in Nigeria I have heard all this stuff as in Pius article about “north” and northerners. Again it is a failure to respect difference. There are parts if this country where parents expect their daughters to live with their boyfriends for years and actually get pregnant before they marry. It has become culture. We do not have that in the north and if your daughter gets pregnant before marriage she brings nothing but shame to the name. But we do not issue condemnations. We agree that this is how they choose to live. And i can give many other examples. 

When people use the term libido they do themselves injustice. First of all it shows how they view women and marriage. Women are nothing but the object of sexual desire. Marriage is nothing but sexual gratification. Well I am sorry but in my tradition it is not. Beauty and attraction rank third after religion and lineage in the choice of a wife. They see an 18 year old young lady. I see a princess of noble birth whose mother is also a princess, and who has been brought up in a good muslim home. This is the kind of woman that is prepared for hiving birth to princes and bringing them up for the role expected of them in society. 

Martiage is both social and political. Expanding the links of kano which have already been established by my predecessors through inter marriage with katsina, sokoto, ilorin, katagum, ningi, bauchi etc to adamawa is an important and signifant step and this is obvious to anyone with a sense of how royal families work and Ibn Khaldun’s sociological concept of Asabiyyah. When the emir of Kano marries it has to be something beyond what he oersonally desires to what is appropriate for that position and the expectations of the people he represents. You dont just pick up any girl on the street. And by the way for thise who shout libido sex is cheap and available everywhere in all shapes and sizes and all colours if that is what they want. And all ages too. Martiage is a very different proposition. The mother of your children has to be something other than, ot at least much more than a mere object of sexual fantasy. But if you do not know that you need to buy yourself a brain. 

I have daughters. And they know they can only marry from certain backgrounds. I always prefer family. When my daughter wanted to marry mouftah baba ahmed’s son and she asked me, knowing my views on family, i told her mouftah is family. And this is not about me and mouftah or me an hakeem or nafiu. No. It goes back to Baba Ahmed and Emirs Sanusi and Bayero. And the same rule applies to my sons. And it applied to me as well. 

It is I am sure very strange that I should even bother to comment on this. But it would be hypocritical for me to just keep quiet so long as these things are being posted and commented upon explicitly or in a snide manner. There was no secrecy in the marriage fatiha. The date was fixed and it was to be done in the central mosque after friday prayers. The day before we had a tragedy in Saudi Arabia and decided the fatiha must be very low key as a mark of respect for the dead. All traditional rulers in adamawa were there, as were governors and commissioners, members of my own emirate council and adamawa people. There is nothing here to hide or be apologetic about. 

The emirs of adamawa have shown love to my parents and grandparents and it is a sign of my appreciation of their love that i marry their daughter. This is the highest statement of friendship and loyalty on both sides. 

Again if you understand this this is fine. If you do not buy yourself a brain, A la Pius. 

In any event this is my one and final and only comment on this. And I am making it out of respect for NC members.”

MSII “

New electricity tariff becomes effective in October

  NERC targets 100% revenue collection

• Eko Disco to abolish fixed charge

The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is targeting 100 per cent revenue collection when the new tariff is effected in October.

Speaking with The Nation in a telephone conversation yesterday, its Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi said the Distribution Electricity Companies (Discos) which are looking forward to tariff and revenue increase are yet to ramp up their payment.

According to him, the power distribution firms are however paying gradually.

He said: “The Discos are paying and we are expecting revenue increase. We are working on a new tariff . But the Discos are yet to ramp up payment. They are paying gradually.

“We are expecting more improvement in tariff and revenue collection.  We expect them to do 100 per cent as we are going when the new tariff becomes effective in October.”

Meanwhile, the management of Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP) yesteray said it plans to abolish monthly fixed charges on its consumers.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Oladele Amuda who spoke at a stakeholders forum in Lagos, said the company would present the proposal to NERC for approval.

“The company is proposing to abolish fixed monthly tariff charge from their bills but this has to be approved by NERC.

“I can assure you that if NERC approves the abolition of fixed charge by October, we will start to implement it immediately,” he said.

The chief executive officer urged consumers within the zone to embrace cost reflective tariff to enable the company serve them better.

Amuda lamented that the company is constrained by the present tariff regime which was not cost-reflective.

He said the new proposed tariff was N25 per kilowatt instead of the N17 per kilowatt that was being used to charge now.

Amuda said with the new tariff, the company would have sufficient money to change many transformers and conductors.

He said the company has engaged two Nigerian meter manufacturers to supply 50,000 prepaid meters outside Credit Advancement Payment Metering Installation (CAPMI) scheme.

He said these would be given to consumers with faulty meters and to replace all old meters.

Amuda assured that all consumers would be metered but advised consumers that could not wait to apply under CAPMI scheme.

He said the company had installed 34,565 prepaid meters to consumers in the zone under the scheme.

In a related development, the  Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has sent out 4,008.53 Megawatts (Mw) to Discos, according to the Power Statistics of the Federal Ministry of Power.

Following the statistics which the ministry posted on its website yesterday, energy supply only dipped by 4.86Mw from the 4,013.39Mw sent out on  September 16.

The TCN however recorded a spinning reserve or stranded power of 89.78Mw that it could not wheel out of the 4 098.31Mw produced by the electricity generation companies (Gencos) .

Energy generated that was 4,099.72Mw on September 16 however dipped slightly to  4,098.31Mw on Sunday, indicating a relatively steady average power generation in the electricity market in 10 days.

The market however dropped from the 4,735Mw peak energy generation of September 16 to 4,405.3Mw last Sunday, resulting in gap of 329.7Mw.

In NESI, the highest power power generated is still the  4,810.7 Mw of August 25.

On the power generation, the chairman said there was fire outbreak in Kainji last week, adding were it not for this, power generation would have exceeded the aforementioned result.

Amadi added that power generation is also expected to increase very soon when the Calabar Power Plant comes on stream.

The Nation

You encourage corruption by providing safe haven for stolen funds, Buhari tells world powers

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

New York—President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, in New York, United States of America, told the international community that the readiness of developed countries to provide safe havens for stolen funds encourages corruption.

He, therefore, urged them to enact strict measures that would dismantle the havens for ill-gotten wealth.

President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari addresses the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly September 28, 2015 at the United Nations in New York. AFP

President Buhari, who made the disclosure while addressing world leaders at the ongoing 70th General Assembly of the United Nations in the US, also appealed to them to facilitate the return of identified stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin.

The President also observed that corruption, cross-border financial crimes, cyber crimes and human trafficking were major social vices militating against the collective good of the world in the 21st century.

Urging the international community to unite against the vices, the President reiterated his unwavering determination to fight corruption head-on.

He said: “Let me reaffirm the Nigerian government’s unwavering commitment to fight corruption and illicit financial flows. By any consideration, corruption and cross-border financial crimes are impediments to development, economic growth, and the realization of the well-being of citizens across the globe.

“Nigeria is ready and willing to partner with international agencies and individual countries on a bilateral basis to confront crimes and corruption.

“In particular, I call upon the global community to urgently redouble efforts towards strengthening the mechanisms for dismantling safe havens for proceeds of corruption and ensuring the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin.”

While lauding the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, adopted last Friday by world leaders, President Buhari also proposed the adoption of peace as a seventh essential element of the goals.

He said the greatest want of the world at the moment was peace and adopting it as one of the important elements of the SDGs was very crucial to the realization of other goals.

The President told the UN session that his government was poised to stamp out insecurity and terrorism in the Nigeria, assuring that the abducted Chibok Girls would be rescued.

He expressed concern over the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and called for effective implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty to ensure that small arms and light weapons could only be legally transferred.

Reminding the global assembly that peaceful co-existence and self-determination were among the key principles that led to the establishment of the United Nations, President Buhari called for the urgent resolution of the question of self-determination for the people of Palestine and Western Sahara.

“The international community has come to pin its hopes on resolving the Palestinian issue through the two – states solution which recognises the legitimate right of each state to exist in peace and security.

“The world has no more excuses or reasons to delay the implementation of the long list of Security Council resolutions on this question. Neither do we have the moral right to deny any people their freedom or condemn them indefinitely to occupation and blockade,” the President said.

Vanguard News

Backlash: Killing The Economy To Kill Corruption

THE battle against corruption has become the sole purpose of the Buhari Presidency. It is being prosecuted as if all other things that define good governance shall follow automatically, as soon as victory is proclaimed. Since it is so, the appointment of ministers in this month of September, which has only 10 days to finish, is no longer necessary. The entire business of government has been consolidated into a single effort – war against corruption.
One man or at most one ministry to be called Ministry of War Against Corruption can do the whole job. News that Buhari has branded ministers as noise makers is very encouraging too. No serious war anywhere in the world is fought and won with noise makers. In the spirit of the new revelation, a proposal for amendment of the operating constitution to make the appointment of ministers by a sitting president discretionary can be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.
I am not even too sure if the NASS itself will fit properly into the new order. The members are even noisier than the ministers. They are rascally and violent too; often using fists like junior school pupils instead of debates to settle simple issues. They are also very lazy. They work for one week and go on recess for four weeks.

Why ex-SSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, was ‘sacked’

Controversial former spokesperson of the State Security Service (SSS), Marilyn Ogar, has been compulsorily retired from service following investigation into allegations of bribery and professional misconducts against her.

Mrs. Ogar was alleged to have collected several trucks of DPK (Dual Purpose Kerosene) as bribe, playing partisan roles, among other breaches of service codes.

Although no official statement has been issued by the Service regarding the compulsory retirement of Mrs. Ogar and others officials, a security source confirmed that the former spokesperson was retired on Wednesday – seven years before she was due to leave service.

PREMIUM TIMES had on March 26 exclusively reported how Ms. Ogar received trucks of kerosine in bribe, and then proceeded to disparage the then opposition APC on television and other media before and after the Osun governorship election.

In the exclusive report, which sources in the service said triggered internal investigation by the new service leadership, this newspaper reported that Ms. Ogar was treated to a special offer the former Nigerian administration utilised in appeasing dubious officials hired to do hatchet jobs, and other Nigerians regarded as troublesome. 

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the new Director General of the service, Lawal Daura, set up a panel headed by a retired director of training to investigate the allegations against Ms. Ogar and other staff of the agency.

Mrs. Ogar, our sources said, was found guilty of the corruption allegation against her as well as for playing partisan role that ridiculed the agency in the eyes of the Nigerian public.

The panel therefore recommended that she be compulsorily retired, alongside others also found guilty for professional misconducts during the last administration.

In the PREMIUM TIMES story that exposed the bribery, it was reported that within government circles, the offer made to her, which was direct allocation of fuel products, was termed “settlement” by agents of the immediate past administration.

“That is what the government uses if it wants to settle you. If you are settled once, you are made,” one source told PREMIUM TIMES in March.

Mrs. Ogar was referred to the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the government-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in charge of marketing and distribution of petroleum products.

According to elaborate details of the transaction obtained by PREMIUM TIMES in March, the PPMC was directed to allocate 10 trucks of DPK (Dual Purpose Kerosene) to Mrs. Ogar.

The sacked spokesperson accordingly met with the then Managing Director of the company, Haruna Momoh, and the deal was struck, this newspaper reported.

With little or no previous fuel marketing experience, and more importantly, without a registered company for that purpose, Mr. Momoh, suggested the allocations be channelled through known fuel independent marketers who will receive the allocation, sell them and deliver cash to Ms. Ogar.

According to the PREMIUM TIMES report, the former spokeswoman agreed, and the PPMC selected three marketers to deliver four, three, and three trucks apiece on her behalf.

An agent at the PPMC triggered text messages to the respective marketers. In one, sent by the coordinator of a private depot in Apapa Lagos via 08064387579, the firm wrote, “Please be informed management has approved three trucks of DPK to your company. Kindly make arrangement for payment. Thank you.”

To finalise the deal, the PPMC introduced Ms. Ogar to the three marketers and all sides agreed she be paid N1.5 million for each truck of DPK.

In all, Ms. Ogar was paid N15 million for doing nothing beyond meeting the PPMC boss having been recommended by the higher authorities to do so.

To this day, Ms. Ogar never responded to calls and text messages seeking her comments over the story.