TheNewsGuru

Tag: Minister

  • Uncertainty grips ministers, other appointees over Buhari’s plans

    Since President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘surprise’ return from London on Saturday, some ministers have suspended their weekend return to Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.om reports that Cabinet members were surprised that they were caught unawares by the President’s return 103 days after leaving the shores of Nigeria.

    Many ministers knew about Buhari’s return through a statement early Saturday by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina.

    It was unclear yesterday what caused the protocol slip which left out ministers, who were wondering why they were left them out of the airport reception party.

    But a source said the President wanted a low-profile return since he had planned to address the nation today

    A source said: “The cabinet members were actually not notified of the President’s return. If they had prior knowledge, they would have been around to welcome him.

    “In fact, only Minister of FCT Mohammed Bello was on the list of those to receive the President in his capacity as the ‘governor’ of the territory.

    “Some other ministers merely heard the announcement and decided to proceed to the airport in line with official norms.

    “Those who were out of Abuja on assignment in some states hurriedly came back to welcome the President.

    “ These ministers are worried about Buhari’s plans for them.”

    “The goodwill for the president was tremendous. This was why he avoided being airlifted in a chopper that was waiting to convey him to the Presidential Villa.

    “The presidential helicopter was at the airport but the President opted to go to the Villa by road.

    “No one expected the massive turnout which pointed to the fact that he is still rated highly by many Nigerians.”

     

  • Again, EFCC traces N47b, $487m to embattled former Petroleum Minister, Diezani

     

    SOME OF THE ASSETS

    • A block of six units serviced apartments at 135, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos
    • 21 mixed housing units of eight four-bedroom apartments, two penthouse apartments of three-bedrooms each and six three-bedroom (all en-suite) terrace apartments in Yaba
    • A twin four-bedroom duplex at Lekki Phase one, Lagos
    • A large expanse of land at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos
    • A duplex at 10, Frederick Chiluba Close in Asokoro, Abuja
    • A six-bedroom en-suite apartment on Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja
    • 16 four-bedroom terrace duplexes at No. Heritage Court Estate, Plot 2C, Omerelu Street, Diobu GRA, Phase 1 Extension, Port Harcourt.
    • N234m, $5m in bank accounts
    • Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt houses listed

    A massive investigation has revealed more of the monies and properties allegedly acquired by the Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke while in office.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has so far traced N47.2 billion and $487.5million to the ex-minister.

    The agency also claimed that Mrs. Alison Madueke has N23,446,300,000 and $5milion (about N1.5billion) cash in various banks.

    But only the about $37.5million Banana Island property has been forfeited to the Federal Government by the ex-minister.

    On Monday , Justice Chuka Obiozor, a vacation judge sitting at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, ordered the final forfeiture of the property.

    These revelations were contained in a fact-sheet released by the Public Affairs Directorate of the EFCC.

    The fact-sheet is signed by two officers of the directorate, Mr. Tony Orilade and Aishah Gambari.

    The document reads: “Apart from the jewellery, the EFCC, Nigeria’s foremost anti-corruption agency, has traced N47.2billion and $487.5million in cash and properties to the former Minister of Petroleum Resources in ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    “This followed painstaking investigations by operatives of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).”

    In the fact-sheet, the EFCC gave the details of the properties linked with the ex-minister.

    It accused Mrs. Alison Madueke of acquiring a block of six units serviced apartments a few metres away from the EFCC zonal operations hub in Ikoyi.

    The document added: “Also in Lagos, Alison-Madueke allegedly bought a block of six units serviced apartments at number 135, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, just a few hundred metres away from the EFCC zonal operations hub.

    “The apartment has a standby power generating set, sporting facilities, play ground and a water treatment plant. The property was bought at the rate of N800 million (Eight hundred million naira) on January 6, 2012.

    “Other properties in Yaba, Lagos, also discovered by the eagle eyes of the Commission’s operatives, are located at number 7, Thurnburn Street and 5, Raymond Street. The Thurnburn Street property consists of 21 mixed housing units of eight four-bedroom apartments, two penthouse apartments of three bedrooms each and six three-bedroom (all en-suite) terrace apartments.

    “The Raymond Street property is made up of two en-suite 2-bedroom apartments and one four bedroom apartment.

    “The Yaba, Lagos properties, which dug a deep hole of an eye-popping N1billion (One billion naira), were paid for on May 30, 2012. The same day Alison-Madueke splashed N900 million for the Port Harcourt estate.

    “In Lekki Phase one, an upscale neighbourhood of Lagos, operatives found a twin four-bedroom duplex. The duplex is located on Plot 33, Block 112, Lekki Peninsula Residential Scheme Phase 1, Lekki, Lagos, with an estimated value of over N200million (Two hundred million naira).

    “Also in Lagos, a large expanse of land at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos has also been traced to the former Petroleum Resources Minister. The land, which is located in Oniru Chieftaincy Family Private Estate, Lekki peninsular, Lagos and currently being utilised as a dumping site, was bought on February 16, 2012 for N135million (One hundred and thirty- five million naira).

    “Plot 8, Gerard Road Ikoyi, Lagos, another property traced to Alison-Madueke, is a penthouse on the 11th floor in the Block B Wing of the building. It was bought for N12million (Twelve million naira) on December 20, 2011.”

    Besides the properties in Lagos, the commission claimed that Mrs. Alison Madueke allegedly bought choice mansions in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Yenagoa in Bayelsa State.

    It said: “On Plot 10, Frederick Chiluba Close, in the serene, upscale Asokoro District of Abuja, lies a tastefully built and finished duplex. In the compound, there are also a guest chalet, boy’s quarters, an elegant swimming pool, fully equipped sports gym and a host of other amenities.

    “ Investigators have discovered that the property acquired by the ex-minister in December, 2009, at the cost of N400 million (Four hundred million naira) was never declared in any of the asset declaration forms filed by Alison-Madueke.

    “Also linked to the former Minister in Abuja is a mini-estate at Mabushi, Abuja. The estate, located on Plot 1205, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi Gardens Estate, houses 13 three-bedroom terrace houses, each with one bedroom en-suite maid’s quarters. It was purchased on April 2, 2012 at the princely sum of N650million (Six Hundred and Fifty Million Naira).

    “In Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja, Alison-Madueke reportedly acquired a six bedroom en-suite apartment made up of three large living rooms, two bedroom guest chalets, two-bedroom boys quarters, two lock up garages and a car park. It was bought on July 20, 2011 for N80million (Eighty million naira).

    “Down South in Nigeria’s oil city of Port Harcourt, the former minister’s acquisitive appetite took her to Heritage Court Estate, located on Plot 2C, Omerelu Street, Diobu Government Residential Area, Phase 1 Extension, Port Harcourt.

    “The Estate, which is made up of 16 four-bedroom terrace duplexes, is equipped with, among other facilities, a massive standby power generating set. Alison-Madueke did not blink as she shelled out N900million (Nine hundred million naira) for it on May 30, 2012.

    “In neighbouring Bayelsa State, an apartment with two blocks of flats, all en-suite, and with a maid’s quarters was also traced to her. The house located on Goodluck Jonathan Road, Yenagoa is sitting on a large expanse of land.

    “Realtors spoken to by EFCC investigators have placed estimated values running into hundreds of millions of Naira on the property. The apartments have four living rooms, eight bedrooms and gold-plated furniture.”

    Besides jewelry and property, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, EFCC operatives claim, has N23,446,300,000 and $5milion (about N1.5billion) in various Nigerian banks.

     

     

  • Court grants ex-FCT minister, Akinjide permission to travel abroad for treatment

    …orders release of her international passport

    A Federal High Court siting in Lagos, on Wednesday ordered the release of the international passport of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Akinjide is facing charges bordering on N650 million fraud before an Ibadan division of the court.

    She had filed an application through her lawyer, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) urging the Lagos division of the court to grant a release of her passport for a medical trip overseas.

    Ayorinde, moving the application dated July 12 on Wednesday, said it was based on hospital recommendation, which had referred the accused for a medical check.

    He sought an order of the court for the release of Akinjide’s passport to enable her undertake the foreign medical trip.

    The counsel also prayed the court to grant an order for a release of the passport at anytime when required.

    Ayorinde said that the prosecution was not opposed to the application, as the ex minister was not a flight risk.

    In response, EFCC lawyer, Mr Mohammed Aliyu, confirmed service of the application, and said that the prosecution was not opposed to it.

    Consequently, Justice Chuka Obiozor ordered the release of the international passport of the accused for the trip.

    Obiozor ordered that the duration must not exceed 30 days.

    The judge, however, refused the second leg of the application seeking a release of the passport at any other time when required.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on June 22, arraigned Akinjide and one Chief Olanrewaju Otiti before an Ibadan Federal High Court.

    The ex-minister was accused of conspiring with Otiti to launder a sum of N650 million, which she allegedly collected out of the 115 million dollars allegedly doled out by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezaani Alison-Madueke.

    The EFCC said the act contravened the provisions of Section14, 15 and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Act, 2012.

    The accused had, however, pleaded not guilty to the 24 counts levelled against them.

     

     

    NAN

     

  • Social Media, two-edged sword for Information Officers – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the social media is a double-edged sword for information officers because of its real time advantage and the challenge of fake news.

    Mohammed made this known on Wednesday in Abuja at the opening of a two-day capacity building exercise for Strategic Communication Liaison Officers organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

     

    “Undeniably, technological advances have redefined the media landscape and the way information officers communicate government activities to the public.

     

    “But for the information officers, the social media is a double-edged sword.

     

    “Whereas it allows them to reach their audiences much faster, it also poses a lot of challenges, in particular, because the social media is blurring the line between fact and fiction between real news and fake news.

     

    “How the information officers overcome this challenge will go a long way in determining his or her success,’’ he said.

     

    The minister said that government information officers were strategic to achieving national strategic objectives through the strengthening of government communication.

     

    He said that the mandate of his ministry “is to manage the image, reputation and promote the culture of the people and government of Nigeria.’’.

     

    In realising the mandate, the minister recalled that in December last year, he launched a Federal Government Information APP (FGN-iAPP) as part of strategic communications activities to bridge the communication gap and bring people a click away from government.

     

    He said that the ministry also used town hall meetings, organised across the six geo-political zones to inform Nigerians and the international community about government programmes and to listen to criticism, feedback and advice from the citizens.

     

    The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to carrying people along in task of governance.

     

    He said that the ministry was leveraging on various social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp, Skype, Twitter and Instagram, among others to reach its audiences, especially the youths.

     

    The National Security Adviser, Alhaji Babagana Monguno said that the objective of the workshop was to harmonise government communication channels and activities.

     

    Monguno, who was represented by Mr Aminu Nabegu,

    a Permanent Secretary in the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation said the present administration had eliminated inter-agency rivalry in its approach to effective communication.

     

    He challenged participants to come up with a strategic communication plan to counter the propaganda and negative narratives by terror and anti-state groups.

     

     

  • NHIS Executive Secretary dares Osinbajo, minister, says ‘only Buhari can suspend me’

    The Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf has rejected the recent directive by the Minister of Health to go on three months suspension.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Yusuf was last week ordered by the Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole to proceed on three months suspension to pave way for an investigation following petitions written against him.

    However, in a letter dated July 12, 2017 Usman gave reason for his inability to comply with the directive.

    According to him, under the Act setting up the scheme, the appointment and removal of the executive secretary is at the instance of the President.

    “Except removed from office by the President under the circumstances specified in the NHIS Act, my appointment is for a period of five years.

    ‘’This is subject to a further term of the same period at the discretion of the President,’’ Yusuf explained

    The embattled executive secretary, however said although the NHIS Act empowered the minister to give directive of general nature to the Governing Council of the scheme and could exercise presidential mandate in the absence of the council such powers did not include ‘’discipline, suspension or removal of the Executive Secretary of the Scheme from office’’.

    Usman, therefore added that ‘’ the directive in your letter under reference cannot find comfort under the said section of Presidential mandate’’.

    He further argued that the minister’s directive is not in compliance with the Public Service Rules as no prima facie case had been established against him in respect of the petitions referred to in the suspension letter.

    ‘’ The mere fact that there are pending petitions against a public officer which are yet to be substantiated does not constitute a ground for suspension under Public Service Rules.’’

    He said the petitions referred to by the minister were also being investigated by the ICPC, which was yet to submit its findings.

    ‘’In the light of the above, I wish to humbly urge that the Honourable Minister should allow the investigations of these petitions to follow due process,’’ he said.

     

  • Mugabe’s former minister to challenge him in 2018 presidential poll

    Mugabe’s former minister to challenge him in 2018 presidential poll

    Nkosana Moyo, former Industry and International Trade Minister, in Zimbabwe on Thursday launched a political party in a bid to contest for 2018 presidency, news agency reported on Thursday.

    Moyo is a former minister in President Robert Mugabe’s government.

    He told journalists that his decision to contest in the polls followed pressure from many quarters.

    “I have come to the conclusion that I must heed the call to run for the office of president of Zimbabwe, this call is coming from diverse Zimbabweans,’’ Moyo said when he launched his Alliance for the People’s Agenda Party.

    Moyo resigned from his post under protest in 2001 and left for South Africa.

    He has accused Mugabe’s government of lack of vision, while Mugabe called him a coward.

    Moyo said that his party would not join the proposed coalition of opposition political parties to fight Mugabe and the ruling ZANU-PF party in 2018 polls.

    “Combining things does not always give you the result you expect,’’ he said.

    Moyo also distanced himself from ZANU-PF, saying he had never been its member.

    He promised to serve only one term if he wins the presidency.

    Zimbabwe’s new constitution adopted in 2013 limits the presidential term to two five-year terms.

    ZANU-PF has already endorsed Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence from Britain in 1980 and would be 94 in 2018, as its presidential candidate for the 2018 polls.

     

     

    (Xinhua/NAN)

  • India’s agriculture minister caught urinating in public

    Indian Agriculture Minister Radha Singh was on Thursday caught on camera urinating in public, prompting angry reactions from citizens on social media with some calling for his ouster.

    In the photo that has gone viral, Singh was seen peeing on a wall of a compound, while his security guards stood close-by.

    Several people took to the social media to criticise the minister’s action which is in sharp contrast to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Clean India campaign.

    Some have even asked Modi to sack the minister.

    “Show him the door” one Twitter user wrote to the prime minister’s official handle, tagging the official accounts of the minister and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah.

    However, the erring minister has defended himself, claiming that he was forced to urinate in the open as there was no public toilet nearby on the National Highway 28, where the photo was taken.

    This is not the first time that a BJP leader has been caught littering or working against Prime Minister Modi’s flagship Clean India campaign.

    Earlier this month, the country’s green court, National Green Tribunal, was moved after a BJP lawmaker, Priyanka Rawat, threw a plastic bottle in the river Saryu, a tributary of the Ganga.

    The vlean Indian campaign (Swachh Bharat Mission) was officially launched on Oct. 2, 2014, aimed at universal sanitation and open defecation eradication by 2019.

     

     

     

    (Xinhua/NAN)

  • Minister sacks 789 prostitutes from Abuja

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Bello has disclosed that over 789 prostitutes and other destitutes have been repatriated to their various states of origin within the last two years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    Bello disclosed this to newsmen at a media parley in Abuja.

    According to him: “Majority of these numbers were repatriated back to their respective neighbouring states after proper profiling and rehabilitation.”

    He stated that government was determined to ensure that “women, youths, children and the vulnerable in FCT are adequately catered for.”

    Acting secretary of the Social Development Secretariat (SDS), Irene Adebola Elegbede, who spoke on behalf of the minister, said it was almost impossible to eradicate the world’s oldest profession from the FCT.

    She said: “You cannot eradicate the profession; you can only try to contain it. It is the oldest profession. We are trying to discourage commercial sex workers in FCT, but they are smarter than us, they work as cartels.

    “When you dislodge or arrest them in a particular place, they migrate to another place. We arrested some in Apo, within the twinkle of an eye, able-bodied men were begging us to release them. We need to cooperate; if every man decides to be disciplined, we won’t see them.

    “We should collaborate to reduce their numbers on our streets. If there is no demand, there won’t be supply. We even trained some of them in different vocations as a better alternative to prostitution and gave them start-off kits and start-up capital, but, surprisingly, after some months, we saw them on the streets again.”

    The SDS boss seized the opportunity to urge members of the National Assembly to expedite action on a stiffer legal framework that would help in addressing the daunting challenge of beggars, miscreants and commercial sex workers.

    Speaking more on the activities of commercial sex workers, she said: “We have a mobile court, where we take them to serve as deterrent to others, but you would see human rights activists coming to pay for them. Initially, the fine was N200 but it was increased to N2,000. And after they are released, they go back to the streets immediately.”

     

  • N23bn Diezani bribe: EFCC arraigns Jonathan’s ex-FCT minister, Akinjide, today

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will on Thursday (today) arraign a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, for allegedly receiving N650m from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, during the countdown to the 2015 general election.

    The money was said to be part of the $115m (N23bn as of 2015) allegedly disbursed by Diezani, part of which was allegedly used in bribing some senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

    The money was said to be part of kickbacks received from oil firms.

    The spokesman for the EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said Akinjide, who was the Oyo State Coordinator of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, would be arraigned on 24 counts of Money Laundering before Justice Ayo Emmanuel of a Federal High Court, Ibadan.

    According to the charge sheet with Suit No: FHC/1B/26C/2017, the former minister, along with the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State, Mr Yinka Taiwo, and others now at large, on or about March 27, 2015 within the jurisdiction of the court, did conspire among yourselves to directly ‘take possession of the sum of N650,000,000 which you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: money laundering, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

    She is also accused of violating sections 1(a), 16(d), 15(2)(d) and18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

    The EFCC said Akinjide and others conspired to make cash payments exceeding the amount authorised by law without going through any financial institution.

    The prosecution said they were liable to be punished under sections 15(3)(4) and 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

    Akinjide first visited the EFCC in August last year where she was made to refund about N10m.

    The former minister was said to have applied for bail on the grounds that she needed to travel out of the country for medical attention.

    A member of the House of Representatives, Aliyu Pategi, stood surety for her but was arrested when Akinjide refused to make herself available as promised.

     

  • Court sentences Somali soldier to death for ‘mistakenly’ killing minister

    Court sentences Somali soldier to death for ‘mistakenly’ killing minister

    A court martial on Monday sentenced a Somali soldier to death for killing a government minister after mistaking him for an Islamist militant.

    Public works minister Abbas Siraji was shot dead on May 3, in his car in the capital Mogadishu.

    Soldier Ahmed Abdulahi Ahmed, was condemned to death by a military court “for mistakenly shooting the minister,” army officer Hassan Noor told Reuters.

    A second soldier at the scene at the time was released without charge on Monday.

    Siraji, 31, grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp and was the country’s youngest minister.

    Militants from the al Qaeda-affiliated group al Shabaab have carried out frequent attacks in Mogadishu as they fight to oust Somalia’s Western-backed government and drive out African Union peacekeeping troops.

     

    Reuters/NAN