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Tag: Gbajabiamila

  • Nollywood contributes 2.3 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP- Gbajabiamila

    Nollywood contributes 2.3 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP- Gbajabiamila

    Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of House of Representatives, says the film industry contribute 2.3 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with over 2,500 movies produced annually.
    Gbajabiamila said this at a Two-Day Leadership Master class Training for Nollywood Actors organised by House Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu on Friday in Abuja.

    He said it was expedient to acknowledge and celebrate Nollywood Actors and Actresses as well as others who made up the Nollywood entertainment industry.

    He added that with talent, fortitude, and extraordinary resilience, they had built a globally competitive entertainment industry in spite of the challenges and constraints in the nation’s environment.
    “With adequate investment, a supportive regulatory environment, better training and capacity development, Nollywood will grow beyond our present dream and surpass our highest ambitions.

    “It falls on all of us in government, the private sector and across the society to identify ways we can help the industry reach the heights and we all know is possible,” he said.

    He said that beyond the questions of economics and profit, there was the issue of the critical role of Nollywood in influencing culture, defining national character, and promoting national identity.

    “As actors and entertainers, you directly exert tremendous influence on the lives of hundreds of millions of Nigerians, they are impacted by the roles you play, the stories you tell and the realities you explore in your movies,” he said.

    Gbajabiamila said that this come with a responsibility to tell stories that inspire goodness, motivate thoughtful acts, encourage fraternity, and uplift the human condition.

    “You also have a responsibility to tell the best stories of our beloved country. I do not propose to turn you into cheerleaders for a Nigeria that does not exist.

    “But the stories of men and women thriving through adversity and innovating for prosperity needs to be told, and it falls to you to tell those stories,”he said.

    Elumelu, in his remark said the training, was a much needed strategic multisectoral effort to guarantee the desired rebound and repositioning of the movie industry in Nigeria.

    He said that the training would retool the drivers of movie industry in the countrty to efficiently play their roles of effectual propagation and promotion of our rich national heritage, ideologies and values.

    He added that this would help to revamp the sector as an economic hub in our nation and the West African Sub region.

    “Nigerians are passionate about the movies you produce as it sees their personal and shared challenges, struggles, anxieties, aspirations and achievements in the lives of the characters you aptly portray,” he said.

    Mr Emeka Rollas, National President, Actors Guild of Nigeria, (AGN) said that knowledge was essential to leadership development and sustainable society.

    He said that Actors must work together to pursue a sustainable society and a sustainable path to economic growth and better the industry through qualitative leadership.

    “We need leadership sustainability in the industry through training and retraining to enable us grows the business to keep meeting global demand.

    “The training will enhance our management skill, strategic plan, thought process, new adaptations, risk management among others,” he said.

  • Nigeria deserves a trustworthy Police Force – Gbajabiamila

    Nigeria deserves a trustworthy Police Force – Gbajabiamila

    By Emman Ovuakporie

     

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Thursday said Nigerians deserve a police force that they can trust.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports that the speaker disclosed this at an ongoing public hearing on two Police laws that had to be amended to make the Nigerian police more functional, organized by the Police Affairs Committee, chaired by Hon Usman Kumo.

    Gbajabiamila said the bills are timely as they will go a long way in reforming the Nigerian police Force.

    He said “a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Police Service Commission Act and Enact the Police Service Commission Bill, 2020 to strengthen the Commission to be more Functional in its Operations, and for Related Matters (HB. 1112); and A Bill for an Act to Provide for Establishment of the National Institute for Police Studies, to Provide for Administration and Management of the Institute and Determining the Standard of Knowledge and Skills to be Acquired by the Personnel of the Institute, and for Related Matters (HB.1048).

    “Reforming the Nigerian security architecture, with specific emphasis on our policing system and law enforcement, is one of the cardinal commitments of the 9th House of Representatives. “It is a commitment against which our tenure in office will be measured. When the time for assessment and judgment comes, we must not be found wanting. The Nigerian people deserve a Police Force that they can trust. They deserve a Police Force that acts within the limits of the law and respects the rule of law. We will do everything in our power to meet these expectations.

    “During this public hearing, these Bills that we will review are good faith efforts at addressing the statutory deficits that have hindered the effective operation of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over the years. Beyond statutory reform, there is a need for concerted efforts to address recruitment and training, funding and operational priorities. These issues are the responsibility of the Police Force administration and the executive. Nonetheless, the 9th House of Representatives will be part of those conversations around effecting changes in this regard, and we will do our utmost to ensure that everything that ought to be done is done and done right.

    “The Police Service Commission (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2020 is the first attempt to institute an independent system for holding erring Police Officers to account for abuses of power and related misconduct in office. There are, let me quickly say, a zillion or gazillion good policemen, in fact, a good majority of our policemen are gentlemen and officers, upstanding professionals but we all know the popular saying that a rotten egg can spoil the whole basket. We must attempt to weed out the few rotten eggs that seem to give the police force, men and women who lay their lives and put their lives out there on a daily for you and I and that is why we are taking this bill seriously. The Bill proposes changes to the composition of the Police Service Commission (PSC). It further proposes reorganising the Commission to be public-facing and able to receive and investigate complaints against Police Officers. This Bill will increase the minimum requirement for recruitment into the constabulary and allow for the recruitment of more qualified candidates into the Nigerian Police Force (NPF). These objectives are sacrosanct. The only question before us at this public hearing is how best to achieve them. Achieving them is non-negotiable, it is a roadmap on how to get there, that we are looking to address at this public hearing.

    “I encourage all of you who have gathered here today to recognise that we are undertaking this assignment at a fraught time in our national history. We have a joint obligation to act in the public interest to restore faith in our security institutions and assure the Nigerian people that the government is still capable of meeting its first and highest obligation – to secure

  • Reps accept petition by Diaspora Tiv indigenes, earlier rejected by Gbajabiamila’s Deputy

    Reps accept petition by Diaspora Tiv indigenes, earlier rejected by Gbajabiamila’s Deputy

    A petition by a group of Tiv indigenes from Benue State in the diaspora which generated controversy last week has been accepted by the House of Representatives.

    The lawmakers received the petition during Tuesday’s plenary at the lower chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    It was filed by a group – Mzough U Tiv Amerika (MUTA) on the insecurity in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba States.

    A member of the House representing Gwer East/ Gwer West Constituency of Benue, Mark Gbillah, presented the petition at the plenary presided by the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila.

    He explained that he was submitting the petition on behalf of the group because Tiv indigenes of the affected states had been sacked from their ancestral lands.

    “Without misunderstanding, please go ahead and lay your petition and it will be given proper and due attention,” Gbajabiamila told the lawmaker before he presented the petition.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Gbillah brought the petition back to the house about two weeks after the move was rejected by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Idris Wase.

    Wase, who presided over the plenary held on March 11 in the absence of the speaker, had declared that Nigerians in the diaspora have no right to send petitions to the House on issues happening in Nigeria.

    He has, however, denied his action despite compelling video evidence.

    Meanwhile, the lawmakers had since tendered apology for rejecting the petition.

    The recent attack on Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, at his farm also formed part of issues deliberated during Tuesday’s plenary.

    Condemning the incident, the lawmakers described the attack on the governor as an indication of anarchy and full-scale lawlessness in the country.

    They, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for promptly ordering an investigation into the incident and asked the security agencies to ensure that those involved were brought to justice, to serve as a deterrent to others.

  • Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Governors, Ministers for National Pilot’s book launch

    Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Governors, Ministers for National Pilot’s book launch

    A book, titled: Roundtable Discussion on Economy And Restructuring In Nigeria, will be presented to the public on April 14, 2021 in Lagos.

    Published by the National Pilot newspapers, the book treats the twin issues of economy and restructuring and offers a way forward.

    The event will hold at Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja, the Lagos State capital.

    It will be chaired by former Senate President David Mark, while current Senate President Ahmad Lawan, his predecessor, Dr. Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila are among dignitaries expected at the event.

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai is the guest speaker.

    The Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, will lead other governors, including Prince Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi ( ), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), while Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) is the chief host.

    Other invitees are: Ministers Babatunde Fashola (Works and Housing) and Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation).

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, are royal fathers of the day.

    Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Olabode George, former governors Gbenga Daniel, Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) are other top dignitaries expected at the event.

    The book answers questions on various aspects of the economy and treat issues on restructuring.

  • Lawan, Gbajabiamila sued over ‘missing N4.4bn NASS funds’

    Lawan, Gbajabiamila sued over ‘missing N4.4bn NASS funds’

    Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila have been sued over “their failure to probe, and to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies allegations that N4.4bn of public money budgeted for the National Assembly is missing, misappropriated, diverted or stolen, as documented in three annual audited reports by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.”

    The two leaders f Nigeria’s legislative body were sued by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

    The suit followed the publication of annual audited reports for 2015, 2017, and 2018 in which the Auditor-General of the Federation raised “concerns about alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds, sought the recovery of any missing funds, and asked that the evidence of recovery should be forwarded to his office.”

    In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/366/2021 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus directing and compelling Dr Lawan, Mr Gbajabiamila and the National Assembly to perform their constitutional oversight functions to ensure prompt and transparent investigation into the allegations that N4.4 billion budgeted for the National Assembly may be missing and unaccounted for.”

    In the suit, SERAP argued that “By the combined reading of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the UN Convention against Corruption, which Nigeria has ratified, the National Assembly has legal duties to combat corruption, and promote transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.”

    According to SERAP: “transparency and accountability in the management of public resources and wealth is essential for promoting development, people’s welfare and well-being, and their access to basic public services, as well as good governance and the rule of law.”

    SERAP also argued that “The National Assembly has the legal responsibility to ensure that the serious allegations of corruption and mismanagement documented by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation are promptly, independently, thoroughly, and transparently investigated, and to end the culture of impunity that is fuelling these allegations.”

    According to SERAP: “The failure of the National Assembly to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies the allegations documented in the annual audited reports for 2015, 2017 and 2018 is a fundamental breach of the oversight and public interest duties imposed on the legislative body by sections 4, 88 and 89 of the Nigerian Constitution.”

    The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Adelanke Aremo, read in part: “Granting this application would serve the interest of justice, reduce corruption and mismanagement, as well as end impunity of perpetrators, and advance the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.”

    “This suit seeks to vindicate the rule of law, the public interest, and to promote transparency and accountability. Government agencies and institutions are responsible to a court of justice for the lawfulness of what they do, and of that, the court is the only judge. The National Assembly has no legally justifiable reason to refuse to investigate the allegations documented by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.”

    “Obedience to the rule of law by all citizens but more particularly those who publicly took oath of office to protect and preserve the Constitution is a desideratum to good governance and respect for the rule of law. In a democratic society, this is meant to be a norm.”

    It would be recalled that SERAP had in a letter dated 30 January 2021 requested Dr Lawan and Mr Gbajabiamila to “use their good offices to urgently probe and refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies allegations that N4.4 billion of public money budgeted for the National Assembly may have been misappropriated, diverted or stolen.”

    The letter, read in part: “The Auditor-General noted in his 2015 report that the National Assembly account was spent N8,800,000.00 as unauthorised overdraft, contrary to Financial Regulations 710. The National Assembly also reportedly spent N115,947,016.00 without any documents. Another N158,193,066.00 spent as cash advances to 17 staff between January and June 2015 is yet to be retired.”

    “The Senate reportedly spent N186,866,183.42 to organise Senate Retreat and Pre-Valedictory Session for the 7th Senate, although the money was meant to pay vehicle loan. The Senate also reportedly spent N15,964,193.63 as bank charges between July and December 2015, contrary to Financial Regulations 734.”

    “The House of Representatives also reportedly spent N624,377,503.30 to buy 48 Utility Vehicles. However, 14 vehicles were not supplied. The House also failed to make the 34 vehicles supplied available for verification. Similarly, the House spent N499,666,666.00 as cash advances to staff to carry out various assignments but has failed to retire the money.”

    “The House of Representatives also reportedly paid N70,560,000.00 as overtime and ‘special’ allowances to officials who are not legislative aides between November and December 2015 without any authority.”

    “The National Assembly Service Commission reportedly failed to remit N30,130,794.10 deducted from the salaries of the Executive Chairman and the Commissioners as car loan.”

    “The National Assembly Budget and Research Office reportedly spent N66,303,411.70 as out-of-pocket expenses without any documents. The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies paid N246,256,060.51 by cheques, despite the prohibition of payments by cheque by the Federal Government, except in extreme cases, and contrary to Financial Regulation 631.”

    “According to the Auditor-General Report for 2017, the House of Representatives reportedly spent ₦95,212,250.00 without due process and without any documents. The National Assembly Management Account also reveals that N673,081,242.14 was spent between April and October 2017 without any documents. The Auditor-General reported that the funds may have been misappropriated.”

    “The Senate Account also reportedly shows that ₦1,364,816,397.95 was spent on store items without any documents to show for the spending. The Auditor-General stated that his office was denied access to the store and to the Senate’s records.”

    “The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies also reportedly failed to remit ₦2,181,696.50 from the contract of goods and services. The Institute also paid ₦67,296,478.00 without any payment vouchers.”

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

  • Lawan, Gbajabiamila get 14 days deadline to probe “missing N4.4 billion‘’

    Lawan, Gbajabiamila get 14 days deadline to probe “missing N4.4 billion‘’

    Senate President Dr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives Mr Femi Gbajabiamila have been given 14 days ultimatum to probe the allegations of missing N4.4 billion of public money budgeted for the National Assembly.

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP gave the deadline in a letter written to the leadership of the National Assembly, adding that it will take all appropriate legal actions if the legislative arm failed to probe the allegations.

    The organization also urged the lawmakers to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies to find out if the fund was misappropriated, diverted, or stolen, as documented in three audited reports by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.”

    “Any failure to promptly, thoroughly and independently investigate these serious allegations, prosecute suspected perpetrators, and recover missing public funds and assets would undermine public trust in the ability of the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure probity, transparency, and accountability in the management of public funds.”

    SERAP in its open letter dated 30 January 2021 and signed by its deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, said the National Assembly has the opportunity to show Nigerians that the legislative body is a proper and accountable watchdog.

    It said, “By exercising strong and effective leadership in this matter, the National Assembly can show Nigerians that the legislative body is a proper and accountable watchdog that represents and protects the public interest, and is able to hold both itself and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to account in the management of public resources.”

    SERAP added that if not satisfactorily addressed, these allegations would also undermine public confidence in the ability of the National Assembly to exercise its constitutional and oversight responsibilities to prevent and combat corruption, and to ensure the public interest, transparency, and accountability in the management of public resources.”

    SERAP expressed concern that “these allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and misappropriation of public funds amount to fundamental breaches of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international obligations, including under the UN Convention against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.”

    The letter, read in part: “Any failure to promptly, thoroughly and independently investigate these serious allegations, prosecute suspected perpetrators, and recover missing public funds and assets would undermine public trust in the ability of the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure probity, transparency, and accountability in the management of public funds.”

    “The Auditor-General noted in his 2015 report that the National Assembly account was spent N8,800,000.00 as unauthorised overdraft, contrary to Financial Regulations 710. The National Assembly also reportedly spent N115,947,016.00 without any documents. Another N158,193,066.00 spent as cash advances to 17 staff between January and June 2015 is yet to be retired.”

    “The Senate reportedly spent N186,866,183.42 to organise Senate Retreat and Pre-Valedictory Session for the 7th Senate, although the money was meant to pay vehicle loan. The Senate also reportedly spent N15,964,193.63 as bank charges between July and December, 2015, contrary to Financial Regulations 734.”

    “The House of Representatives also reportedly spent N624,377,503.30 to buy 48 Utility Vehicles. However, 14 vehicles were not supplied. The House also failed to make the 34 vehicles supplied available for verification. Similarly, the House spent N499,666,666.00 as cash advances to staff to carry out various assignments but has failed to retire the money.”

    “The House of Representatives also reportedly paid N70,560,000.00 as overtime and ‘special’ allowances to officials who are not legislative aides between November and December 2015 without any authority.”

    “The National Assembly Service Commission reportedly failed to remit N30,130,794.10 deducted from the salaries of the Executive Chairman and the Commissioners as car loan.”

    “The National Assembly Budget and Research Office reportedly spent N66,303,411.70 as out-of-pocket expenses without any documents. The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies paid N246,256,060.51 by cheques, despite the prohibition of payments by cheque by the Federal Government, except in extreme cases, and contrary to Financial Regulation 631.”

    “According to the Auditor-General Report for 2017, the House of Representatives reportedly spent ₦95,212,250.00 without due process and without any documents. The National Assembly Management Account also reveals that N673,081,242.14 was spent between April and October 2017 without any documents. The Auditor-General reported that the funds may have been misappropriated.”

    “The Senate Account also reportedly shows that ₦1,364,816,397.95 was spent on store items without any documents to show for the spending. The Auditor-General stated that his office was denied access to the store and to the Senate’s records.”

    “The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies also reportedly failed to remit ₦2,181,696.50 from contract of goods and services. The Institute also paid ₦67,296,478.00 without any payment vouchers.”

    “We would be grateful if you would indicate the measures being taken to address the allegations and to implement the proposed recommendations, within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel the leadership of the National Assembly to implement these recommendations in the public interest, and to promote transparency and accountability in the National Assembly.”

    “The Auditor-General also noted in his 2018 report that the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies failed to remit N577,634,638,20 due from contracts and supplies, even though the deductions were made. However, the Institute claimed that it was the National Assembly that was required to remit the money, as it is the body that maintains the account on behalf of the Institute.”

    “Our requests are brought in the public interest, and in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the country’s international obligations including under the UN Convention against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. Nigeria has ratified both treaties.”

    The letter is copied to Mr Abubakar Malami SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC); and Mr Mohammed Abba, Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

  • Nigerians have gained a lot from Buhari’s experience – Gbajabiamila

    Nigerians have gained a lot from Buhari’s experience – Gbajabiamila

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a blessing to the nation, saying that Nigerians have gained a lot from his wealth of experience.

    Gbajabiamila in a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Lanre Lasisi, said President Buhari deserves being celebrated at 78 given his commitment to a better Nigeria for the good of the citizens.

    “Nigeria and Nigerians have gained a lot from your wealth of experience and selfless service to the country and humanity in your 78-year sojourn on mother earth,” the Speaker was quoted as saying.

    “As our leader, your humility, dedication to the unity of Nigeria, and commitment to making the country better are unquestionable,” the Speaker said.

    “Under our great party, the APC, you have redefined selfless service. Nigerians should continue to support the President for there are better days ahead.

    “All that the President needs is our support and prayers. Whether you’re in the ruling party or the opposition, you need to support and pray for President Buhari to succeed.

    “Nigeria is the only country we can call ours, and we must do everything possible to make our nation great.

    “I am optimistic that with the right support and prayers from all stakeholders, President Buhari will exceed our expectations,” Gbajabiamila said.

    While praying for continuous good health, God’s protection and guidance, the Speaker wished the President many more fruitful years ahead.

  • Insecurity: Gbajabiamila, lawmakers wait in vain as Buhari shuns invitation

    Insecurity: Gbajabiamila, lawmakers wait in vain as Buhari shuns invitation

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday failed to honour the invitation by the House of Representatives to address them on the security situation in the country.

    Recall that the House in a resolution on 1 December invited Buhari to address them on the true state of the security situation in the country, in the wake of the killings of 78 rice farmers by Boko Haram.

    The invitation was delivered to the President by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and other leaders.

    Buhari at the meeting agreed to address the House.

    Few days after, the President’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie announced on 7 December that the President will address a joint session of the National Assembly today.

    But at the commencement of plenary on Thursday, there was no sight of President Buhari.

    Reps Solomon Bob from Rivers State raised a point of order over the President’s no-show.

    He asked the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila to update the House.

    In response, Gbajabiamila said the House will wait for official communication from the President.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the President’s refusal to show up may have been because of the advisory by Justice Minister and Attorney General Abubakar Malami.

    He issued a statement on Wednesday, saying the National Assembly has no right to invite Buhari.

  • Telecoms and security of lives: Time for desperate measures – Okoh Aihe

    Telecoms and security of lives: Time for desperate measures – Okoh Aihe

    By Okoh Aihe

     

    When we got into the first part of Kogi State, the young man behind me in the bus, who had engaged his colleagues in animated discussions all the way from Benin, tried to find out our location. Told that we were in Okene, he became a psychotic wreck and flew into kindergarten gibberish to the surprise of those who could hear him.

    Two weeks ago, he tried to control his emotions, his father was kidnapped on that road and those criminals from the hottest part of hell didn’t get in touch with the family until after three days. They demanded for N100m but the family went into a bruising, protracted negotiation and eventually shelled out N10m. The cheek of it all is that the bandits drove all the way to Abuja to collect the money and returned to base before releasing the old man. He still had their contacts in his phone!

    Another two weeks, a bus belonging to a popular transporter was taken on the same road with all the passengers. One of the passengers told his friend that the kidnappers would make contacts with their phone, put it on speaker so that everybody could hear the conversation or if you want to be more appropriate, negotiations. This went on for days. For those whose people were not responding well, they killed in very gruesome way. Two of the passengers were killed before their very eyes, to drive the fear home that what was happening was macabre reality and not make believe. He, an artisan, struggling to eke a manageable life, parted with N1.5m. Apart from the weapons, their phones were their most useful tools.

    So, you could imagine how elevated I felt last week when the House of Representatives told the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the regulatory agency, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to do something about SIM Registration in order to stem the wave of crime in the country. When you look around you and you see despondency, of people nearly giving up on their country, of a National Assembly – the Upper and Lower Chambers, very docile and distant, leaving the people to flagellate themselves about the wrong choices they have made, one should at least cheer one tiny hope of action, even if that action is accidental.

    How can there be so much death in the land and the National Assembly does not know the country is careening into a season of frightening overtime and that something should be done very urgently?

    At last the speaker of the House, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila spoke and I threw up my hands in momentary celebration. Unfortunately, that fleeting celebration has little grip in reality because nothing will happen except we flip the page and begin to do things differently. The reason being that history does not lie. If you look at history long enough, you can begin to see missteps and begin to think of corrective measures. This could be one of the reasons those enjoying the transiency of power abrogated history from the school system so that the evils of our leaders past and present could be interred with them and never studied to achieve a better future.

    But for some of us who enjoy the pleasures of history nobody can remove it from our brains with a magic wand. So, dear readers, let’s take a little journey into a much needed recall. The Regulations on Registration of Telephone Subscribers was made by the Nigerian Communications Commission on November 3, 2011. It was gazetted on November 11 of the same year. The Regulations made it mandatory for every phone line in Nigeria to be registered and also stating penalties for contravention.

    In Part 111, under Registration the Regulations state as follow: (1) Every Licensee shall register a subscribers’ information as specified under sub-regulation (2) of this regulation. (2) From the commencement of these Regulations, Licensees, Independent Registration Agents and Subscriber Registration Solution Providers shall in accordance with registration specifications and at no cost to the Commission or the subscriber capture, register and transmit to the Central Database the – (a) biometrics and other personal information of subscribers who request for the activation of the licensee’s subscription medium; and (b) in the case of a corporate body or other juristic person, the biometrics and other personal information of the authorized representative of the corporate body or other juristic person and name, address and where applicable, the registration number of the juristic person issued by the Corporate Affairs Commission.

    On Activation of new subscriptions, the Regulations state under Part 111, Regulation 12 (1) Upon the commencement of these Regulations, licensees shall only provide new subscribers with subscription mediums enabled for limited access to their network services and such limited access shall last for the duration of the activation window.

    The Regulations were very forward looking and tried to tie down every opportunity for malfeasance. No operator in the telecommunications industry would claim not to be aware of the details, especially when they have very robust regulatory departments.

    March 28, 2011, Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah launched the Registration programme with lots of excitement and optimism for the following reasons: “First being that this nation has been waiting for the day when all the SIM Cards in use in the country are registered, and the identity of the owner of every line is known. This is done in other parts of the world and Nigeria wishes to be like other progressive nations of the world.

    “Another significance of this is the achievement of a Central Data base for mobile phone users in Nigeria. Today, therefore marks a major step taken by the NCC, to bequeath to our dear nation, an important tool, a pool of data that will assist other agencies of government, especially the security agencies, and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), etc. in carrying out their jobs in the national interest.”

    I must admit that the registration exercise has had its own successes but vicissitudes would be a more appropriate word. This was largely illustrated by the fine placed on MTN for contravening the regulations, failing to disconnect 5.1 incompletely registered SIM cards in October 2015. Initial fine was N1.04tn but negotiations dragged up to June 10, 2016, when all the parties agreed to a reduced fine of N330bn to be paid in several tranches.

    Even as bludgeoning as that fine may have been, has it solved the SIM registration problems? Not at all. A source within the regulatory Commission told this writer the problems persist, adding that all the relevant stakeholders including the security arms should get on the table to take very drastic decisions instead of chasing shadows.

    There is still a lot of dubious cross-registration especially by agents appointed by operators making it impossible for the registration process to be trimmed into acceptability. Those agents are incentivized on commission thus putting them under pressure to take short cuts that are hurting the purity of the process. The source also noted that a number of people in networth positions in government and businesses hardly go personally to register their SIMs, instead they send their reps by way of exploiting such a window provided in the Regulations. This explains in a very bizarre way why it may be possible for the regulator to say there are no unregistered SIM Cards in Nigeria. Instead the SIMs are inappropriately registered!

    My source was not also happy that some people arrested during enforcement exercises by the regulator were frivolously prosecuted by the Police and let off the hook to the consternation of the regulator. There has to be more commitment and seriousness from the Police, the source appealed.

    I want to suggest that the security situation in the country demands desperate measures by relevant stakeholders in order to stop the needless waste of lives. I am desperately requesting that Regulation 8 should immediately be modified to it make easy for security personnel to have access to subscriber’s data on the networks especially concerning criminal acts. What is in the Regulation at the moment is nightmare which makes life easy for the wicked.

    Okoh Aihe writes from Abuja

  • Late vendor’s family sues Gbajabiamila, demands N500m

    Late vendor’s family sues Gbajabiamila, demands N500m

    Ifeanyichukwu Okereke’s family, the vendor who was shot dead by a security aide to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has demanded N500 million for compensation.

    Okereke’s family in a letter to the speaker dated November 23, 2020, demanded the compensation. The letter was signed by the lawyer of the family, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

    Ozekhome was asked to write the letter by the father of the deceased, Okorie Okereke; and the younger brother to the deceased, Destiny Okereke.

    In the letter, Okereke’s family made three demands which must be met otherwise they take legal actions.

    The family demanded firstly that the speaker uses his good office to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide (Abdullahi Hassan), who shot the innocent and armless vendor.

    “Our clients have instructed us to make from your good self, the following modest demands: That you use your good offices to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide (Abdullahi Hassan), who went on a frolic of his own, clearly acted outside the purview of his duty and responsibility by shooting to death an innocent, harmless and armless citizen, the letter read.

    Secondly, they asked that the speakers compensate the Okereke family with a modest sum of N500m. The family stated that the money cannot adequately replace the deceased but will at least mitigate the trauma and hardship of his premature demise.

    Okereke’s family demanded lastly that the speaker ensure that the safety of vendors are guaranteed as they have become afraid to return to the streets since the tragic incident.

    “Take note therefore that it is our clients’ firm instruction that in the event that you fail, refuse and/or neglect to accede to or proffer reasonable compensatory terms to our above modest demands within seven days from the date of this letter, we shall without any further correspondences from us, take appropriate legal steps to enforce our clients’ constitutional rights,” the letter stated.