TheNewsGuru

Tag: SGF

  • 2017 Budget: Reps reject N51.9bn vote for SGF’s office

    2017 Budget: Reps reject N51.9bn vote for SGF’s office

    The House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously opposed the N5.9bn voted for recurrent expenditure under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the SGF, Mr. Babachir David-Lawal, is on suspension over alleged contract infractions.

    Shouts of “no” no” took over the floor as the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, presided over the passage of the 2017 budget.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Buhari recently ordered the immediate suspension of Lawal and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Amb. Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of investigation of allegations levelled against them.

    Details soon…

     

  • We will resist attempts by presidency to reinstate Lawal as SGF, Senate vows

    We will resist attempts by presidency to reinstate Lawal as SGF, Senate vows

    The Nigerian Senate has stated that it was under pressure to compromise the report of the Adhoc Committee investigating the awards of contracts under the Presidential Initiatives on North East (PINE) in favour of the suspended Secretary General to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Engr. Babachir Lawal.

    The Senate however stated at plenary on Wednesday that it will not hesitate to go into a fresh war with the Presidency if Lawal is returned from his suspension as substantive SGF.

    This followed its consideration of the final report of its Adhoc Committee, which accused Lawal of process violation in award of contracts under the Presidential Initiatives on North East (PINE) on Wednesday.

    The 45-page report was submitted by the Committee Chairman, Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central).

    The final report revealed that contractors paid over N500m in kickbacks to a company linked Lawal.

    The bribe was discovered to have been paid to Rholavision Engineering Limited.

    Senators were shocked that besides the N270 million for the grass-cutting contract, there was another N200 million spent to hire consultants on grass-cutting.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that an interim report, late last year, had indicted Lawal for corruption.

    It also resolved to immediately send its resolution to President Muhammadu Buhari for immediate action, even as it adopted the report.

    After considering the votes and proceedings on the parliamentary process required in arriving at a logical conclusion on the matter, Senator Muhammad Shittu (APC, Jigawa North-East), moved for the adoption, while Senator Ben Murray- Bruce (PDP Bayelsa) seconded it.

    In his remarks after adoption of the final report, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, confirmed the existence of pressure groups to protect the job of the suspended SGF.

    Saraki said: “I am sure of the kind of pressure on the members; especially the chairman and some of us in the leadership and the kind of pressure we were under.

    “But for you to have been able to stay firm and do your job, and carry out your responsibility, I must commend the committee and the chairman, in particular.”

  • SGF/NIA Probe: Osinbajo panel to submit report to Buhari on Monday

    SGF/NIA Probe: Osinbajo panel to submit report to Buhari on Monday

    The Presidency on Wednesday said the presidential committee investigating the suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke; and the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, will submit its report to President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday.

    Akande said the committee chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was scheduled to complete its assignment on Wednesday.

    “The three-man Presidential Investigative Committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, under the chairmanship of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to inquire into the Discovery of Foreign and Local Currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at Osbourne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos and the Allegations of Due Process Violations in the Award of Contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East is completing its assignment today and is scheduled to present its reports to the President on Monday, May 8, 2017,” the statement read.

    There have been media reports that the committee that has the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno; and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) as members would present its report on Wednesday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the committee was set up on April 19 and was given the mandate of turning in its report within 14 days.

  • SGF, NIA Probe: Osinbajo panel to submit report Wednesday

    SGF, NIA Probe: Osinbajo panel to submit report Wednesday

    Barring any last minute change of plans, the Presidential committee investigating suspended Secretary General of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ayo Oke, would submit its finding tomorrow (Wednesday).

    The Minister of Justice and Attorny-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubkar Malami who is a member of the panel headed by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo dropped the hints on Tuesday.

    He spoke to State House correspondents after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.

    He, however, refused to speak on whether the committee would yield to the calls of not making the report public, saying “it will be preemptive”, as the committee’s 14 days life span is yet to elapse.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had set up a three-man Committee comprising the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser, headed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to conduct investigations into allegations leveled against Lawal and Oke.

    The Committee is to submit its report to the President within 14 days.

     

  • Suspended SGF, Lawal to appear before Senate today

    …as Osinbajo committee demands Senate’s interim report

    The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led committee investigating allegations of due process violation in award of contracts under Presidential Initiatives on North East (PINE) has requested the Senate to furnish it with relevant documents on the matter.

    Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East, Sen. Shehu Sani, confirmed receipt of a letter on the issue in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday.

    He said Osinbajo, Chairman of the Committee of Inquiry, in a letter dated April 21, requested for the Senate ad hoc committee’s report on the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.

    According to him, the Vice President stated in the letter that the committee required documents from the senate for appropriate consideration.

    “ The Presidential Committee set up to look into allegations of due process violation in award of contracts under Presidential Initiatives on North-East (PINE) has written to us to make available report our findings.

    “I confirm that we got the letter and we will provide the documents to the committee,’’ he said.

    Meanwhile, the Senate ad hoc committee has asked Lawal to appear before it on April 27 by 10:00 a.m.

    Sani, who also confirmed this, said a letter had been written to Lawal requesting him to attend a rescheduled public hearing on the allegations.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the committee had earlier invited Lawal to appear before it for a second time on March 15.

    However, Lawal in a letter dated March 22, requested for a rescheduling of the meeting to a more appropriate time.

    The Senate ad hoc committee, in an interim report, indicted Lawal in the award of contracts under the PINE.

    The call for Lawal’s resignation followed alleged contravention of the provisions of Public Procurement Act and the Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining to award of contracts by him.

    While presenting the report to the Senate, Sani said that the committee discovered that some of the contracts were awarded to companies belonging to top government officials’ cronies and family members.

    He explained that the committee found out that Rholavision Engineering Limited, a company in which Lawal was allegedly a director, was awarded consultancy contract.

    The company’s major role, according to him, is the removal of invasive plant species in Yobe on March 8.

     

     

     

    NAN

     

  • Meet Buhari’s newly appointed Acting SGF, NIA DG

    Meet Buhari’s newly appointed Acting SGF, NIA DG

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday approved the appointments of Dr. Habiba Lawal and Ambassador Arab Yadam as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA respectively, albeit in acting capacities.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that their appointments are pending the outcomes of the investigation panel probing the allegations of fraud leveled against the suspended SGF and NIA DG, Babachir Lawal and Ayodele Oke.

    TheNewsGuru.com brings you profiles of the new appointees.

     

    1.Dr. Habiba Lawal

    Dr. Habiba Lawal was before her appointment as acting SGF, the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Funds Office (EFO) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

    EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

    Pry-School Leaving Cert: Gyamzo Primary School, Toro. Started: 1970. Ended: 1976

    SSCE: Federal Government College Kaduna. Started: 1976. Ended: 1981

    B.Sc: Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Started: 1981. Ended: 1986

    M.Sc: Ahmadu Bello University. Ended: 1989

    PhD: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi . Ended: 1997

    Certificate : University of East Anglia, Norwich, Britain

     

    PROFESSIONAL HISTORY:

    Graduate Assistant : Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

    Senior Lecturer: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

    Departmental Exam Officer: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

    Project/Records Officer: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

    Post Graduate Officer: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

    Commissioner : Ministry of Commerce and Industry Bauchi State

    Commissioner: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Bauchi State

    Director : Planning Research and Statistics, National Centre for Women Development, Abuja.

    Director : Women Affairs Department, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs

     

    PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP:

    Fellow : Chemical Society of Nigeria

    Fellow: Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD)

    Member : Chemical Society of Nigeria

    Member : Science Association of Nigeria

    Member : Institute of Development Administration

     

     

    2. Amb. Arab Yadam

     

    Ambassador Arab Yadam hails from Plateau State. He succeeded the suspended DG based on hierarchy as the next most senior officer in the agency.

     

  • I’m not aware of any suspension, suspended SGF, Babachir Lawal declares

    I’m not aware of any suspension, suspended SGF, Babachir Lawal declares

    Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday met with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, barely an hour after the announcement of his suspension by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the closed-door meeting is connected with the work of the Presidential Committee set up to investigate allegations of misconduct against the SGF.

    However, when accosted by state house correspondents on his suspension, Lawal said: “who announced it?”. When he was told that it was the presidency, Lawal replied “then ask them. Why are you asking me? Who is the presidency?”

    When told about the press release signed by President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina and Lawal said: “I have not seen it. I should have been given. I have not seen the press release, so I cannot comment on it.”

    The Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ayo Oke, who was also suspended, was seen around the Vice President’s office immediately after the departure of the SGF.

    Oke, who noticed the presence of State House correspondents, however turned back and attempted to pass through Vice President’s exit gate.

    He was prevented from going out through that point by security officials; the security also stopped the DG from passing through the service chief’s gate.

    The NIA boss later left the Presidential Villa without seeing the Vice-President.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Buhari on Wednesday ordered the immediate suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David Lawal and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Amb. Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of investigation of allegations levelled against them.

    Media and Publicity Special Adviser, Mr Femi Adesina, said the president ordered an investigation into the allegations of violations of law and due process made against the SGF, Mr David Lawal, in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).

    The President also ordered a full-scale investigation into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, over which the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has made a claim.

    “The investigation is also to enquire into the circumstances in which the NIA came into possession of the funds, how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to the NIA, and to establish whether or not there has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the funds.

    “The President has also directed the suspension of the Director General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of the investigation,’’ the statement added.

     

     

    NAN

  • Buhari will rule Nigeria till 2023 – SGF

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has said the President Muhammadu Buhari will rule the country for eight years.

    Lawal noted that the plethora of challenges facing the country now was temporary and that things will improve within the next “one year”.

    The SGF said this while addressing a pro-Buhari crowd gathered at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, on Tuesday, at the beginning of a series of protests in support of the President.

    He told the crowd that President Buhari feels the pains of Nigerians and was encouraged by the show of support to work to improve their lot.

    In his words: “I’m here to thank you for the support you have been giving to this government. As a government, we are encouraged by your support. It is this type of support that encourages the President to do more.

    “We want to assure you that this government is on top of the situation. As much as we understand the challenges that we are facing, there is no cure without medicine.

    “It is for no reason that quinine is very bitter, but after you have taken it, you get well. I assure you that by the grace of God, in the next one year, Nigeria will have a booming economy. We know what they were doing to try to sabotage the activities of government to bring Nigeria back to economic prosperity, they will fail.

    “Nigeria will never go back to the position it was before 2015. The foundation being laid by the government is solid. And nobody, even after the President has finished his eight years, can ever take us back to the pre-2015 days.”

    He expressed optimism that President Buhari would outlive those who wish him dead.

    Also addressing the crowd, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, apologised for an earlier face-off between the Buhari protesters and security agents at the gate of the Presidential Villa; he blamed the situation on “a communication gap.”

    In his address, Mr. Moses Abdullahi, who is the convener of the Citizens Support for Good Governance in Nigeria, the organisers of the event, absolved the Buhari administration of blame for the current difficulties Nigerians are passing through.

    He said “Nigeria is going through a difficult phase, a phase which is not the making of this administration. It is rather a consequence of decades of bad governance, decay and maladministration by a few under a banner now synonymous with corruption.”

    “Nigeria can only change when we support the government and do our bit and not allow ourselves to be used as agents of destruction and political thuggery.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari’s first tenure expires on May 29, 2019.

  • Senate’s report on SGF lacks ‘principle of fair hearing’ – Presidency

    Sequel to its indictment of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF Engr. Babachir Lawal, the Presidency on Tuesday said that the report of the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East “lacked the principle of fair hearing”.

    This was contained in a letter from the presidency to the Senate, which was read by the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, at plenary.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the call for Lawal’s resignation followed alleged contravention of the provisions of Public Procurement Act and the Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining to award of contracts by the committee.

    The letter in part: “I am of the view that by other considerations that may arise as a result of subsequent investigation of Babachir by the interim Ad Hoc Committee, the current report does not meet the principles of fair hearing.

    “You are invited to note that none application of principles of fair hearing by the Senate Ad Hoc Committee is a clear contravention of Section 36 Sub-section (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

    “It is also against all principles of rule of law as enunciated in the Nigerian Legal System as well as the rules of the National Assembly Committees on handling of public petitions.

    “In the light of the foregoing, I am not able to approve the recommendation to remove and prosecute Babachir on the basis of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee Report dated 15th December 2016.’’

    The letter explained that on receipt of the letter from the Senate, the Presidency set up a review team to consider the recommendations of the senate committee.

    “I had also conducted further investigation based on Babachir’s response to the allegations and issues raised in the Senate’s resolution,” the letter said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Buhari also said that some of his findings would guide the Senate in the proper review of its interim report and eventual resolution.

    According to him, some of the findings include the report forwarded to the presidency by the Senate which informed the decision that Babachir should resign and be prosecuted by the relevant authority, is an interim report as against the final report.

    “The final report ought to have been presented to the Senate at plenary for adoption as a binding and final report before submission to the Presidency given the weight of allegations made in the report.”

    “The Senate Committee set up to investigate the mounting humanitarian crisis in the North-East comprised of nine members but shows that the interim report was signed by only three of the nine members.

    “I have also observed that the Senate Ad Hoc Interim Committee Report and the votes and proceedings of the Senate have not in its own right established that Lawal Babachir was ever given an opportunity to appear before the committee and defend himself,” the letter read in part.

    In his submission, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, Sen. Shehu Sani, said that “I stand by the report of that committee.

    “As far as I am concerned, on behalf of myself and the committee, what we did was a thorough job, we invited all the companies concerned, we invited the SGF and he sent us the Secretary of the Presidential Initiative on the North East.

    “The secretary testified under oath that he is competent enough, he came with tons and tons of documents which we went through and then we came out with our report.”

    He said that “we must in every respect fight corruption within the kitchen as we do in the veranda; if we don’t do that then we are being hypocritical”.

    In a remark, the President of the Senate, Saraki said that in line with the Senate rules there would not be further debate on the matter.

    Meanwhile, Senate Spokesman, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi, while briefing the press after plenary said that the document that was laid by the committee chairman was signed by seven people.

    “To that effect the question as to not giving fair hearing, we have.

    “It is in the character of the Senate to invite people by both public notification and by communication,” Abdullahi said.

     

    NAN

  • Undue Process: VP, SGF forces female top shot out of office

    The seeming absence of due process in the current administration has again come to the fore as the Office of Vice President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation have been fingered in wrongful disengagement of Mrs Maryam Danna, a top shot at the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Economic Confidential has learnt.

    Mrs Danna who was disengaged in controversial circumstances, is a Chartered Account from Borno State and had risen from the position of Auditor at the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) in 1992 to General Manager, Audit & Compliance at NDPHC in 2011.

    The NDPHC is incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act as a private limited liability company with terms and conditions of employment and disengagement.

    It also has a Board which consists of the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Chairman, six (6) Governors of the six (6) Geo-Political Zones in the country and four (4) Ministers namely that of Finance, Power, Petroleum and Justice.

    Without any query, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir David Lawal, who himself is enmeshed in alleged corruption practices issued the letter conveying notification of her disengagement as GM NDPHC with effect from 10th June, 2016 while a Special Adviser to Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo was appointed as acting Managing Director of the company.

    Initially, the SGF had announced the dissolution of the Executive Management of NDPHC by the Federal Government and directed the Managing Director of the company to handover to the Aide of Vice President.

    He also directed all the Executive Directors to handover immediately to the most senior officers in their respective departments. Curiously, there are twelve (12) other General Managers of the same status with Mrs Maryam but were allowed to remain in their positions, obviously because they are staff of the company (like Maryam) and not members of the dissolved Executive Management.

    The disengaged chartered Accountant who started her career in the then National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) in 1992 as an Officer II Audit, rose through the ranks to the position of Assistant General Manger (Audit) in 2010 while in the service of Power Holdings Company of Nigeria (PHCN) before moving to the Niger Delta Holding Company where she was promoted to the rank of General Manager (Audit and Compliance) on 1st July, 2011.

    Meanwhile it is suspected that Mrs Danna who is widely known as due process advocate, might have been persecuted by some persons close to powerful officials in government who might have felt aggrieved with some of her tough decisions while she was the Auditor in the office.

    It is gathered that the Special Adviser to the Vice-President who is appointed acting Managing Director of the company was at one time a staff of one of the contractors to NDPHC.

    There is also a case of an Executive Director in NDPHC who never served in NYSC progamme but is currently serving as a permanent secretary in a powerful federal ministry with supervisory powers on NDPHC.

    Economic Confidential gathered that one of the Supervisory Ministers who investigated the case of unlawful disengagement of Mrs Maryam has since written to President Muhammadu Buhari through the Chief of Staff, Abbah Kyari for her reinstatement.

    Mrs Danna hailed from Borno, a State that is not only grossly underrepresented but also where Girl-Child Education is at its lowest ebb.

    She struggled against all odds to reach her present status, by obtaining relevant additional professional qualifications such as certificate of membership of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (FCIT) among others.

    As a married woman and mother, who was never been found wanting in her twenty-four (24) years of service to the country, the least she deserved is compassion and encouragement rather than persecution and undignified maltreatment by the Federal Government.