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Tag: DG

  • Buhari nominates ex-two-term finance minister Okonjo-Iweala for DG, WTO

    Buhari nominates ex-two-term finance minister Okonjo-Iweala for DG, WTO

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the nomination of a former two-term Minister of Finance and former Managing Director (Operations) of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

    The nomination comes about three weeks after the incumbent, Mr. Roberto Azevêdo, announced that he would step down from the position on August 31, 2020, cutting his second term short by one year.

    The decision, according to Azevêdo, is to give his successor the time to work with WTO members to shape the strategic direction for the Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12) and beyond. The election is scheduled to hold in Geneva, Switzerland next year.

    However, in a leaked five-page document dated June 4, 2020, that was addressed to all embassies and permanent missions in Addis Ababa, the federal government also withdrew the candidacy of Yonov Frederick Agah, Nigeria’s permanent representative to WTO, for the same position.

    The document stated: “The embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and permanent mission to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) presents compliments to all embassies and permanent missions in Addis Ababa and has the honour to inform that the Federal Government of Nigeria has withdrawn the candidacy of Ambassador Yonov Frederick Agah for election to the position of Director-General of the WTO.

    “In this regard, the Mission also wishes to inform that his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the nomination of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to replace Ambassador Agah, as Nigeria’s candidacy for the position of the Director-General of the WTO, for the term 2021-2025 at the elections scheduled to hold in Geneva, Switzerland in 2021.

    “Nigeria is, therefore, pleased to request the support of esteemed AU member states as well as permanent missions and embassies in Addis Ababa in favour of the candidacy of Okonjo-Iweala.”

    It described Okonjo-Iweala as a renowned global finance expert, an economist and international development professional with over 30 years of experience, having worked in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America.

    She is presently the Chair of the Board of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. Since its creation in 2000, GAVI has immunised over 760 million children across the globe. She also sits on the boards of Standard Chartered Plc and Twitter Inc. She was recently appointed African Union Special Envoy to mobilise international financial support in the fight against COVID-19, as well as Envoy for the World Health Organisation’s access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator.

    The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, also recently appointed Okonjo-Iweala, to serve as a member of her newly-established External Advisory Group.

    In addition, Okonjo-Iweala served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, from 2003-2006, 2011-2015 and briefly as Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister in 2006, the first woman to hold both positions.

    She had a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, rising to the number two position of Managing Director (Operations).
    As Finance Minister, Okonjo-Iweala steered Nigeria through the varying degree of reforms, particularly on macroeconomic, trade, financial and real sector issues.

    As Managing Director (Operations) of the World Bank, her several portfolios included oversight responsibility for the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe, and Central Asia.

    Okonjo-Iweala spearheaded several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008-2009 food crisis and later in the trying period of the global financial crisis.

    In 2010, she served as Chair of the World Bank’s successful drive to raise $49.3 billion in grants and low-interest credit for the poorest countries in the world.

  • JUST IN: 86-year-old ex-Imo Broadcasting Corporation DG stabs wife to death

    JUST IN: 86-year-old ex-Imo Broadcasting Corporation DG stabs wife to death

    An 86 year-old former Director General of the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), Mr. T.C. Okere has allegedly stabbed his wife to death.

    The deceased, 77, was a retiree of the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo.

    According to reports, the incident occurred Monday morning, in Imerienwe community, in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Details of the incident remained sketchy as of the time of filing this report, but the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu confirmed the incident, but could not give further details.

    According to Ikeokwu, Police will soon commence investigations into the unfortunate incident.

    However, some villagers affirm that the man was suffering from ‘advanced dementia’.

    According to family sources, he did not know that he had killed his wife.

    One of the sources said, “He (Pa Okere) was having advanced dementia and everyone within the village knows his health condition. He didn’t know that he had killed his wife because when he was asked about her, he said she was sleeping.

    “We took him to the hospital; they said we should come after the pandemic. So we couldn’t take him to the hospital because of this Coronavirus. You know how hospitals react to cases like this”.

  • DG, National Productivity Centre commiserates with Buhari, Kyari’s family over death

    DG, National Productivity Centre commiserates with Buhari, Kyari’s family over death

    The Director General of the National Productivity Centre, Dr Kashim Akor on Saturday commiserated with President Muhammadu Buhari over the passing of his friend and Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.

    The DG also condoled Kyari’s immediate family and the Borno State Government for the irreplaceable loss.

    “On behalf of my family, management and staff of the National Productivity Centre, I commiserate with President Muhammadu Buhari, the government and people of Borno State and the family of the late Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari on his transition to the great beyond. May Allah in His infinite mercies grant him Aljanat firdausi” Akor said in a condolence message.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Kyari’s passing was announced early Saturday morning by the presidency. He has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

  • Mismanagement: Court jails ex-DG of Nigerian agency for one year

    Mismanagement: Court jails ex-DG of Nigerian agency for one year

    A Federal High Court has sentenced a former Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), John Shamonda, to one year imprisonment for mismanagement of funds.
    In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the anti-graft agency, ICPC, Rasheedat Okoduwa, on Thursday, it said Mr Shamonda was tried before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 10-count charge of “diversion of N603 milion”.
    The commission said Mr Shamonda’s offence is contrary to sections 16, 17(1)(c) and 22(5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
    The ICPC added that the convict had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
    According to the statement, the prosecution counsel presented seven witnesses while 26 documents were admitted as exhibits.
    The court was also told that Mr Shomonda in 2012 had requested a sum of N603 million for the rehabilitation and replacement of damaged hydrological equipment across the country following the devastating flood that occurred while he was the DG of NIHSA.
    Similarly, the court was also informed that the former DG did not follow the ‘procurement plan’ in disbursing the money for which the money was released. He rather spent the cash frivolously.
    ”Instead, Mr Shamonda approved that N2.8 million be used for Sallah welfare package which was paid to all staff of the agency. Also, he spent N25.7 millon on a ‘National Stakeholders Workshop’.”
    Mr Shamonda was also accused of purchasing two Toyota Prado jeeps and two Hiace buses totaling the sum of N49.2 million.
    Justice Ademola found the accused guilty and sent him to one year in jail with an option of paying a fine of N50,000 each on counts 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10. The terms are to run concurrently if he failed to pay the fine.
    He was discharged and acquitted on counts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6.

    “This is no doubt a very unfortunate case as all the witnesses had testified that no money was traced to the personal account of the convict. It seems to me that the convict is merely answering (for) his overzealousness. However, ignorance of the law is no excuse.
    “The essence of sentencing is not only to punish the convict but to send a warning signal to the general public,” the judge reportedly said.

  • Buhari approves appointment of Gambo Aliyu as NACA DG

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. Gambo Gumel Aliyu as the Director-General, National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA), for an initial term of four (4) years.
    A statement by the Permanent Secretary General Services Office (OSGF), Olusegun Adekunle, said the appointment was in line with the provision of Section 8, Sub-Section (4) of National Agency for the Control of Aids (Establishment) Act, 2007.
    The appointment, he said, is with effect from 26th June 2019.
    Dr. Aliyu is a Public Health Physician with a background in HIV Epidemiology and Disease Prevention.
    Until the appointment, he was the Country Director, University of Maryland Programmes in Nigeria.

  • BREAKING: Ex-NIMASA DG sentenced to seven-year imprisonment

    BREAKING: Ex-NIMASA DG sentenced to seven-year imprisonment

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday sentenced convicted former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) acting Director-General Calistus Obi to seven years imprisonment.

    The court, however, gave him an option of N42 million fine.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun had on May 23 found him guilty of money laundering and converting the agency’s funds to personal use.

    The court refused to order the forfeiture of his seized assets.

    Details later…

  • Interior Minister decorates new fire service CG

    Interior Minister decorates new fire service CG

    The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau on Tuesday decorated, Mr Liman Ibrahim, newly appointed Controller-General (CG), Federal Fire Service (FFS).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the appointment of Ibrahim took effect from March 26, after the retirement of Joseph Anebi, former FFS CG.

    During the decoration at the Minister’s office in Abuja, Dambazau urged the CG to educate the public on fire prevention and control measures.

    “Ensure to educate Nigerians on the prevention of fire incidents in their environments.

    “Also, in cases of fire incidents the public should know how to control fire.

    “ I know that these areas are not new to you but they are just a reminder on how to win the confidence of the public.

    “Remember that most of your responsibilities are practical,” he said.

    Dambazau reiterated the need to ensure proper maintenance of fire equipment and vehicles provided within the last four years.

    According to the minister, the challenge now is not the procurement of fire equipment but to ensure proper maintenance of these equipment.

    “These fire equipment should last for at least a period of 20 years before renewal.

    “In the last 20 years before this administration the fire service has never had it this good with the acquisition of lots of equipment to help provide adequate service to the country,” he said.

    Responding, Ibrahim, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for saddling him with the responsibility as the new CG.

    “I promise to do my best and will not disappoint Mr President with this task.

    “I will do my best to move with Mr President to the next level with the fire service,” he said.

  • N115m scam: Court to deliver ruling of ex-SEC DG’s no-case-submission on Tuesday

    An FCT High Court on Friday is to deliver ruling on Tuesday in the no-case-submission filed by the suspended Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Mounir Gwarzo on alleged of N115 fraud.

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) charged Gwarzo alongside an Executive Commissioner in the Commission, Zakawanu Garuba, with five counts of alleged misappropriation to the tune of about N115 million and conferment of corrupt advantage on a public officer before Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf.

    They however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The defendants, on Feb. 7, through their counsel, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, SAN, and Robert Emupkoeruo, informed the court of their intention to file no-case submission.

    This they prayed after the prosecuting counsel, Mr Adesina Raheem, had informed the court that the prosecution was closing its case against the defendants with the testimony of the fifth prosecution witness (PW5), Taiwo Olorunyomi.

    Gwarzo’s counsel, Mustapha SAN, on March 18 urged the court to hold that the prosecution has not been able to adduce any credible evidence to make the defendant enter any defence.

    He informed the court that the no-case submission he prayed for was brought pursuant to Sections 302 and 303 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

    According to him, the prosecution had failed to make out any prima facie case against Gwarzo, adding that the evidence adduced were all contradictory.

    He submitted that the prosecution in its written address on the submission relied on the law on certain political office holders and admitted that SEC was not mentioned in the said law.

    Specifically, he urged the court to uphold the no-case submission by the first defendant as well as discharge and acquit him of the charge against him.

    Counsel to Garuba, Mr Robert Emukpoeruo, also argued that the prosecution had failed from the evidence adduced to make any prima facie case against the second defendant.

    He said the evidence adduced by the prosecution during hearing has not established any ingredients of the offence said to have been committed by Garuba.

    He, then, urged the court not only to uphold the no-case submission but also discharge and acquit the second defendant.

    In his submission, the prosecution counsel, Mr Raheem Adesina, urged the court to dismiss the no-case-submission of the defendants and ask them to enter their defence.

    Adesina stated that there was the need for the defendants to explain to the court where they got the severance package from, since there was nowhere in Exhibit ICPC 3, before the court where severance package was mention.

    He argued that there was no single word of severance benefit in the SEC Board resolution in July, 2002 (Exhibit ICPC 3).

    He said that what was approved and collected was severance benefit when the first defendant never retired from SEC.

    The ICPC accused Gwarzo of committing fraud to the tune of about N115 million in June 2015, when he held forth as SEC Director-General.

    It alleged that the suspended D-G received the sum of N104,851,154.94 as severance benefits when he had yet to retire, resign or disengage from the service of SEC.

    It added that he conferred a corrupt advantage upon himself when he received the sum of N10,983,488.88 in excess of car grant payable to him.

    Garuba, on the other hand, was accused by ICPC of allegedly conniving with Gwarzo to commit the fraud.

  • N13bn Ikoyi cash: EFCC approaches Interpol for arrest of ex-NIA DG, Oke, wife

    N13bn Ikoyi cash: EFCC approaches Interpol for arrest of ex-NIA DG, Oke, wife

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has approached Interpol for the arrest of a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Folasade.

    The whereabouts of the couple remain unknown one week after they were declared wanted by the EFCC.

    According to the anti-corruption body, they are wanted for failing to appear in court to answer to the N13bn money laundering charges against them.

    The couple reportedly travelled out of the country for medical treatment in January before they were to be arraigned.

    Justice Chukwujeku Aneke of the Federal High Court Lagos on February 7, 2019 issued an arrest warrant against the couple following an oral application by EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo.

    Sequel to the court order, the commission on March 24 declared the ex-spy chief and his wife wanted in a statement by its acting EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade.

    Oke and his wife are wanted in connection with the $43m, £27,800 and N23.8m cash recovered by the EFCC from an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, in April 2017.

    Orilade said the EFCC had asked Interpol to arrest the couple wherever they might be hiding.

    He added that the commission expected all Interpol member-countries to execute the arrest warrant issued against them.

    He said, “We have done what we needed to do. We have notified Interpol and we expect them to issue a red notice against the couple and arrest them wherever they may be found. We don’t know where they are at present.”

    Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, also could not provide an update on the status of the EFCC request to Interpol, stating that he was out of town.

    A check on Interpol website, however, did not turn up any information on Oke and his wife, an indication that they had not been listed on the wanted persons’ section of the site.

    Only the profiles of a handful of Nigerians were listed out of the 6,855 wanted persons.

    They include Odife Ikemefuna, 55, wanted for importing banned drugs and psychotropic substances from India and Iyinoluwa Victor, 55, wanted for drug trafficking.

    Under Oke, the NIA allegedly collected $289,202,382 in cash for special operations from the account of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria in February 2015.

    The agency had claimed that the funds were meant for covert intelligence operations, but the Federal Government insisted it was a case of looting.

    The FG subsequently set up a three-man panel headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. The panel indicted Oke and recommended his dismissal from service.

    Criminal charges were subsequently filed against him and his wife in February this year over the cash found at the Ikoyi apartment.

  • Reps rattle SON DG over low-remittances, incoherent budget

    Reps rattle SON DG over low-remittances, incoherent budget

    From Jonas Ike, Abuja

    The House of Representatives Committee on Industry on Wednesday rattled the Director- General (DG), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Mr Osita Aboloma over what it described incoherent budget and low remittances of revenue to the federation account expected of all revenue generating agencies of government.
    Chairman and members of the House of Representatives Committee on Industry Mr. Abubakar Husaini Moriki at a budget defence session with the DG and heads of departments of the agency had noted that they had failed to remit revenues to the federal government coffers in the past two years as required by law.
    The lawmakers further observed that the N N5.918 billion budget presented to them for consideration do not have details of staff remuneration, promotion, dismissal and retirement in all the states of the federation and FCT.
    The Committee therefore had requested that the agency make available to it all the details of staff, promotion, expected remuneration and other expenditure in templates for perusal.
    The DG in his presentation at the budget session however told the committee that SON effectively utilized its 2018 budget for infrastructural expansion, training and sensitization of their workforce.
    He told the lawmakers that most of the money they are asking for is for the completion of all ongoing projects in the agency notably construction of office complex in Akwa-Ibom, Abia and Cross Rivers State.
    While presenting to the committee a budget estimate of N5.918 billion for consideration and approval, he said that ther are pending recruitment and training to be done by the agency that would be funded from the budget.
    He also hinted that there are chemical process laboratories to be built in Asaba Delta State, Dutse in Jigawa and Calabar in Cross-River States.
    The House Committee nonetheless insisted that that the budget estimate is not incoherent as there is a difference of N5,000000 between the 2018 and 2019 budget estimates of the agency as presented.