TheNewsGuru

Tag: Contract

  • Chelsea to keep Eden Hazard with £300,000-a-week contract

    Chelsea to keep Eden Hazard with £300,000-a-week contract

    London club Chelsea are set to offer star player Eden Hazard with a huge £300,000-a-week contract, and they are hoping he will commit to Stamford Bridge for the next few years.

    With the likelihood of no Champions League football next season, Chelsea are hoping they can secure Hazard to a new deal

    The Spanish publication Sport indicates Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich is so keen to hold onto Hazard that he will blow open the club’s wage structure to keep him.

    Despite Real apparently being ready to submit an £87million bid after the World Cup, Chelsea will pull out all the stops in order to hang on to their main man.

    Hazard, 27, is already the top earner in West London, pocketing £200,000-a-week and his contract runs until 2020.

    The Belgian would get a massive £100,000-a-week raise if he were to sign the reported contract offer.

    Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte is likely to leave the club at the end of the season after falling out with Chelsea’s hierarchy.

    Hazard could be stuck in no-man’s land as he once again waits to discover who his new manager will be and what role he’ll be taking up in the new system.

    Chelsea signed the forward in 2012, from French Ligue 1 side Lille for a reported fee of £32 million, going on to win two Premier Leagues, one League Cup and Europa League.

  • Arsene Wenger confident of seeing out 2-year contract at Arsenal

    Arsene Wenger confident of seeing out 2-year contract at Arsenal

    Long-serving Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hopeful of seeing out his current two-year contract at the English Premier League club amid speculation about his future.

    The Frenchman signed a new contract at Arsenal at the end of last season but the club have shown little progress this term.

    They sit sixth in the league, knocked out of the English FA Cup and unsure of UEFA Champions League qualification for next season.

    The club’s inconsistent performance has led to speculation that Wenger’s 22-year reign could come to an end after the current season.

    “I have always respected my contracts,’’ Wenger, 68, said.

    “I will like to recall that I said `no’ to all the biggest clubs in the world to respect my contract. So, that’s always what I try to do.

    “After that, we have as well to accept in our job that the future is the future. But, for me, that’s to win the next game.

    “We have to perform better in every single game and show until the end of the season a complete hunger to win every single game. That’s what it’s about for us.”

    Arsenal’s best chances of winning a trophy remain in the English League Cup, as they face Manchester City in the final on Feb. 25.

    They are also in the UEFA Europa League, where they recorded a 3-0 win over Ostersunds in the first leg of their last 32 tie on Thursday.

    The Europa League is also Arsenal’s most viable option to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.

    The eight-point gap to fourth-placed Chelsea in the league appears insurmountable with 11 games left to play.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Osinbajo clears controversy surrounding process NNPC contract approval

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has once again weighed in on the controversy over the approval of contracts in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

    The Vice President who had earlier said he gave approval to the NNPC to sign two loan deals, spoke about the issue at a forum which discussed ways of creating a better Nigeria in Lagos on Friday.

    A letter sent by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, to President Muhammadu Buhari accusing the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, of insubordination and of ignoring the NNPC board in approving contracts, among other issues, had sparked the controversy.

    The NNPC GMD had since defended his actions insisting he followed due process and that the President, who is also the Minister of Petroleum Resources, approved the contracts.

    On Friday, the Vice President told participants in the forum that it is the Tenders Board of the NNPC that is meant to approve contracts and not the NNPC Board.

    He said, “Is it the Board of NNPC or is it the Tenders Board of NNPC that approves contracts of a certain level? Is it the Board of NNPC or NNPC’s Tenders Board? Now, that inquiry was made in 2015 by way of a letter – and I am sure you’ve seen all of that. The answer that was given by the Bureau of Public Procurement is that the board referred to was the tenders’ board, not the Board of the NNPC.”

    Concerning the probe of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Dr Ayodele Oke, Professor Osinbajo said a verdict is expected from President Muhammadu Buhari soon.

    “As for the SGF and DG NIA issue that the President will decide. I am sure that very soon we will get a response on that,” he said.

    The Vice President also called on a new tribe of Nigerians to move the country forward.

    He said, “To build a new Nigeria, we need a new tribe. A tribe of men and women of all faiths, tribes, and ethnicities, hard work, justice and love of country. A tribe of men and women who are prepared to make the sacrifices and self-constraint that are crucial to insist on justice. A tribe consisting of professionals, religious leaders and all others who believe that this new Nigeria is possible.”

  • We won’t rush to court over NPA’s cancellation of contracts – Intels

    The management of Intels Nigeria Limited on Tuesday said that it will find an amicable resolution between it and the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, rather than resort to court over the recently cancelled vessel Pilotage service contract by NPA,

    While giving an update on the matter, Mr. Mike Epelle, General Manager Legal, said that as a matter of policy, they would rather explore an amicable solution, stressing: “We don’t want to rush to court.”

    On the TSA issue, Epelle said that Intels had not refused into the Treasury Single Account, explaining that it did want its commission to be paid into the account.

    He further explained that Intels was ready to pay NPA’s dues from the collection of pilotage service into the TSA after its deduction would have been made, a suggestion NPA objected to insisting to have all collection paid and after reconciliation, Intels will receive its commission from port authority.

    He also said that in the agreement, there clauses for dispute resolution adding that NPA did not follow the mechanism before terminating the contract.

    He said “We could pay into TSA but not the manner NPA wanted, we want to keep our commission and pay what is due to NPA.

    “We told NPA to do TSA that is objective and applicable.”

    He explained that before Intels got the contract, NPA was making a paltry sum of $6.5million annually, after Intels took it over, it made over $200million in its first year adding that in another year, it made $210million.

    “Before we took over the contract of pilotage services, the government of Nigeria was losing billions of Naira as a lot of shipper owner evaded the payment of these dues and levies.

    “The contract entitles us to monitor the movement of vessels that come and Sail out of Nigeria, as vessels move in and out of the channels, they are expected to certain dues and levies.

    “When NPA was doing it, they were not efficient and government was losing money.”

    Epelle also faulted the interpretation of the contract by the Attorney General of the contract noting that the Attorney General does not have the authority to direct NPA to cancel the as a court of law has such authority.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Managing Director of NPA, Ms Hadiza Usman had on Monday maintained that the boats pilotage monitoring and supervision contract with INTELS remains terminated.

    The NPA boss told newsmen on Monday in Lagos that the contract was terminated on the advice of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami.

    According to her, the legal advice was contained in an AGF’s letter dated Sept. 27, 2017, which was a response to NPA’s May 31, 2017 letter in which it sought clarity on the matter.

    Usman said that she had raised letters and held several meetings with INTELS management to comply with the Federal Government’s directive on the Treasury Single Account (TSA) since she assumed office 15 months ago.

    “They (INTELS) maintained their stand not to make payment to NPA. They want to deduct 28 percent commission and other costs.

    “NPA says a TSA account has been opened and that at the end of the month, there will be reconciliation of accounts but INTELS refused.

    “Will I spend 15 months talking to a company to comply with the constitution of the country?” she asked.

    Usman explained that all further attempts by the NPA to get the company obey the payment directive was met with various excuses.

  • $25bn NNPC contract scam: Kachikwu’s memo misleading – Osinbajo

    The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday insisted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) did not award $25b contracts as earlier insinuated by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachikwu.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Minister of State for Petroleum ResKachikwu, in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari made the allegations, stressing that the contracts did not follow due process.

    However, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant, Laolu Akande, titled ”It is Important to set the records straight”, the Vice President noted: “Claims on social and traditional media that $25b worth of oil contracts were awarded by the NNPC or that $25b in NNPC funds is missing are both false.

    “No contracts were procured by the NNPC based on the leaked memo of the Petroleum Resources Minister of State, even though such impressions have been maliciously created in the past few weeks.”

    He said that a closer look at each of the said projects indicated clearly that “these are not procurement contracts”.

    He added “When I tweeted on Thursday morning last week, I had indicated that the Vice President, while acting as President approved Joint Venture Financing arrangements. But for some curious reasons, a few media reports used that tweet to report that I said the then Acting President approved N640 billion worth of oil contracts. Such reporting is both false and misleading and therefore ought to be completely ignored by all seekers of truth.”

    “What is more important is that when you look diligently at the referenced projects/transactions one by one, you will see, as NNPC has shown, that none of them was actually a procurement contract.”

    “Take both the Crude Term Contract and the Direct Sale, Direct Purchase (DSDP) agreements, for instance; these are not procurement contracts involving the expenditure of public funds. Both transactions are simply a shortlisting process, in which prospective off-takers of crude oil and suppliers of petroleum are selected under agreed terms, and in accordance with due process.

    “It is therefore wrong and misleading to refer to them as though they’re contracts involving the expenditure of NNPC funds, or public funds of any sort. As you now know, the Honorable Minister of Petroleum Resources himself has in fact clarified that he meant to focus on administrative and governance issues, not red-flag any fraud – because no fraud exists in this matter.”

    For both transactions, Akande said it was not true and also inaccurate to attach $10b and $5b values on them.

    “Attaching monetary values to these contracts is an arbitrary act that completely distorts understanding of the situation.” he said

    According to him, Nigerians ought to be informed clearly that “whenever there is a monetary value on any consignment of crude oil lifted in this country by any firm, the proceeds go directly to the Federation Account and not to any company. In fact, the Buhari administration in the implementation of the TSA has closed down multiple NNPC accounts in order to promote transparency and probity.”

    Akande also explained that even in compiling the shortlisting for the prospective off-takers of crude oil and suppliers of petroleum under agreed terms, “there were public placements of advert in the mass media seeking Expressions of Interest (EoI). Bids were publicly opened in the presence of NEITI, DPR, BPP, Civil Society groups and the press. In some cases even, these events were televised live.”

    “For the sake of emphasis, let me state clearly that both the Crude Term Contract and the Direct Sale and Direct Purchase agreements are not contracts for any procurement of goods, works or services, and therefore do not involve the use of public funds. Instead, they are simply a shortlisting of off-takers. And unlike what has been reported in the media so far, it is important to set the records straight that the list of approved off-takers does not carry any financial values but simply states the terms and conditions for the lifting and supply of petroleum products.”

    He also disclosed that the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Contract “is a contractor-financed contract which has not yet been finalized or awarded; it is still making its way to the Federal Executive Council, FEC.”

    He noted that there were also three presidential approvals given on Joint Venture financing arrangements, meaning loans to cater for cash call obligations. One of these was okayed by the President in 2015, and two by the then Acting President in 2017.

    Lastly, on the NPDC, he said there is no contract in the $3BN to $4BN range as reported in the media.

    “You can then see from the foregoing that the $25BN being bandied in the media does not exist. There is no $25BN missing,” Akande concluded.

     

  • Beware of fraudsters distributing contract letters on behalf of NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has cautioned members of the public against letters of contracts purportedly awarded by the commission in circulation, saying they are fake.

    The commission said in a statement on Saturday in Lagos, that its attention had been drawn to the circulation of letters of award of various contracts purportedly written by its Secretary.

    “The commission wishes to categorically state that these letters were not issued by the commission.

    “When contracts are to be awarded by the commission, adverts are published in various newspapers, the Federal Tenders Journal and our websites.

    “The procurement process adopted by the Commission is always transparent and can be duly verified.

    “The general public and corporate organisations are advised not to transact business with the unscrupulous persons issuing these fake letters,’’ it said.

    The telecommunications regulator urge members of the public to ensure that thorough diligence was conducted in all cases to avoid falling victim to the peddlers of the fake letters of award.

    It said that offers of the fake letters of award should be reported to the commission or the law enforcement agencies.

    “Any person who deals with such peddlers of fake letters does so at his/her own risk,” the commission said.

     

     

    NAN

  • ‘Hunger makes artistes disrespect terms of contract’-Kcee

    ‘Hunger makes artistes disrespect terms of contract’-Kcee

    Nigerian singer and co-owner of the Five Star music group, Kcee has opened up on why artistes dishonor terms of their contract. Recall that Kcee months back had a rift with his label mate, Harrysong which was triggered by Harrysong reportedly dishonouring his terms of contract.

    However, Kcee in an interview with HipTV said hunger and desperation makes these artistes ignore their terms of contract.

    According to him:” When these guys are hungry they are not interested in reading your contract. You give an upcoming artiste a contract of ten pages, they are not interested in reading the contract, all he is interested in is you putting him on camera , shoot a video, put him in the studio to record music and he wants to see himself in South Africa and in London . When he gets there, he becomes satisfied, the next thing is for him to think of how he is going to do without you” he said.

    Watch the interview below

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • FAAN opens 2017 IGR contract bids

    FAAN opens 2017 IGR contract bids

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has commenced the bidding process for the award of contracts under its 2017 Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Budget.

    A statement signed by Herrienta Yakubu, FAAN Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, said that the process was advertised in newspapers as well as the Federal Tenders Journal on Feb. 20.

    The advertisement requested qualified organisations to express interest for the award of contracts in tax collection, audit assignment, medical equipment, goods and works.

    According to the statement, the process began on April 3 when tender documents were opened in line with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

    Yakubu said the exercise was witnessed by a Technical Evaluation Committee and three independent observers to ensure transparency.

    The observers included officials of the Builders Association, Centre for Transparency Watch, Project Development Network as well as the Federal Ministry of Transport.

    “Successful bidders will be contacted after the evaluation process had been concluded,’’ Yakubu said. (NAN)

  • FG approves N126bn contract for 12 roads

    FG approves N126bn contract for 12 roads

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday approved the award of contracts for 12 roads to open up the country.

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, announced this while briefing State House Press Corps at the end of the meeting.

    He said the roads would be in Kano, Bauchi, Adamawa, Borno , Kwara, Gombe, Enugu and Kaduna States as well as bridges on Bauchi – Gombe road.

    “The headline figures are in the region of about N126 billion. But I think that is not the story, the story really is what the award of those contracts do to the economy.

    “They restore confidence back to the construction industry.

    “Contractors who have been owed for two or three years before Mr President was elected are back in various states.

    “They recalled back their workers, they are purchasing quarry, gravel, cement, iron rods; the economy is on its way back to a mend.

    “Every place in all of those states, once we mobilise the contractors the money is kept in those states.

    “Most of the workers who drive the trucks, who fix the roads that you see add to the use of the roads.

    “And so, they aggregate to the total output from each of those states to the national productivity and our national recovery.

    “What you then would see is improved journey time which was what we promised you.’’

    The Minister said that as the ministry completes more roads Nigerians would travel more efficiently and thereby improve the economy.

    According to him commuters will travel more efficiently, burn less fuel and reach their destinations quicker.

    Also the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udoma, said that FEC had extensive discussion on the economic growth plan.

    He said that final consultations are being made before the president would launch it.

    Udoma said that the plan being approved would drive economic recovery and lay the foundation for long term growth.

    He said it would address the country’s poor competitiveness, improve business environment and attract investment in infrastructure, especially power, roads, rail and ports.

    He said that jobs and social inclusion “are also key focus areas in the plan’’.

    The minister said that immediate execution priorities included agriculture and food security as well as energy particularly power and petroleum products sufficiency.

    He also mentioned industrialization with focus on medium and small enterprises, transportation as well as sufficiency and stabilization of the micro economy.

    Udoma said that FEC also dwelt on implementation of the plan’s implementation with the creation of a delivery unit in the presidency.

    According to him the key principles of the plan were to include tackling the constraints to growth and leveraging the power of the private sector, promoting national cohesion and social inclusion

  • Osinbajo orders investigations of alleged contract fraud in Ministry of Water Resource

    Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has ordered immediate investigations into alleged contract fraud in the Cross River Basin Development Authority (CRBDA).

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that CRBDA is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

    Osinbajo’s order is contained in a letter addressed to the managing director of an indigenous engineering firm, Coasterners Engineering and Building Services Limited, Kola Adegoke.

    In a letter marked: SH/OVP/DCOS/Legal/Misc, written by Osinbajo’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice President, Ade Ipaye, he acknowledged receipt of the petitions by Coasterners, including one in which it accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) of compromising investigation into one of its complaints.

    The letter reads in part: “I am directed by His Excellency, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 10th October 2016 and 14th November 2016 on the above and related subjects.

    “I am also to inform you that your submissions have been forwarded to the appropriate authorities for further consideration and necessary action.

    In one of its recent petitions to Osinbajo, Coatsterners alleged contract racketeering in the CRBDA. The petition painted a situation where most contracts awarded in the agency are in violation of the Public Procurement Act.

    The petitioner accused the management of CRBDA of penalising it for its whistle-blowing activities by deliberately starving it of necessary funds to execute contracts awarded it, a move allegedly calculated to frustrate it. Coasterners also accused CRBDA of withholding funds due to it for projects executed.

    The Water Resources Ministry had faulted allegations made against CRBDA, accusing Coasterners of among others, acting with the intention of blackmailing its agencies.

    The ministry’s position is contained in a letter marked: FMWR/LU/S/292/1/34, titled: “Harassment of the CRBDA by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Coasterners Group Ltd.”

    Part of the letter authored by the ministry’s Director, Legal Services, Gboyega Oyekanmi reads: “The ministry’s attention has been drawn to your frantic efforts to malign the name and integrity of the management and staff of the CRBDA by making spurious and unfounded allegations against them as evidence in the correspondences under reference.”