TheNewsGuru

Tag: staff

  • Photo: Ex-bank staff bags 98 years in prison for stealing N49m, $368,000

    Photo: Ex-bank staff bags 98 years in prison for stealing N49m, $368,000

    A former staff of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Oreoluwa Adesakin, has been handed a cumulative 98 years in prison by Justice Muniru Olagunju of Oyo High Court for fraud.

    Adesakin, female, was found to have committed financial fraud against her employers to the tune of N49,320,652.32 and an additional $368,203.00 belonging to the bank, which she converted to personal use.

    The convict was prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 14-count charges bordering on stealing, forgery, and fraudulent accounting.

    One of the charges read: “That you Oreoluwa Adesakin sometime between the months of May 2013 and November 2013, at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division, whilst being a staff of First Bank PLC stole the sum of N25,974,116.13 from First Bank PLC MoneyGram Payment Naira Account, the property of First bank PLC.”

    She pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which necessitated her trial.

    Prosecution counsel, Usman Murtala, presented every vital document and witnesses which nailed the convict.

    The judge noted the EFCC amassed a pool of incontrovertible evidence against the convict and did a diligent investigation and prosecution.

    He pronounced Adesakin guilty of all the charges, sentencing her to seven years in prison without an option of fine on each of the 14 counts, which will run concurrently.

    Apart from the jail term, the convict is also to restitute the First Bank, through the EFCC, all the money she stole.

    According to EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the convict was arraigned April 4, 2014, by the EFCC following a conclusion of investigations against her which arose from a petition from her former employer, dated December 18, 2013.

    The bank alleged in the petition that Adesakin, as its Money Transfer Operator, saddled with the responsibility of effecting payments through Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram platforms, fraudulently manipulated accounting and withdrew N49,320,652.32 and another $368,203.00 for herself, which the bank only uncovered while reviewing its internal account.

    The EFCC was also able to establish that the convict used part of the proceeds of her crime to acquire landed properties in different parts of Oyo State.

  • I’ve lost close staff, family, friends to coronavirus – Buhari

    I’ve lost close staff, family, friends to coronavirus – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he has lost a couple of close people to the ravaging coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the president lost his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari to complications from the virus in April. Other close family members back in his hometown Daura, Katsina State also died from the virus.

    The president also condoled with Nigerians who have lost close relatives and friends to the virus. He also praised front line health workers who are risking everything including their lives to fight the pandemic.

    He said this in a televised Democracy Day address to Nigerians.

    He said, “It is a day to honour our founding fathers who toiled to establish our republic and every Nigerian who has worked tirelessly to sustain it.

    “We are celebrating this year’s Democracy Day despite the COVID-19 pandemic which afflicts our nation and the whole world.

    “It is indeed a very difficult time for everyone especially those who have lost loved ones to the virus and those whose sources of livelihood have been severely constrained by the stringent measures we introduced at every level of government to contain the virus and save lives.

    “The dedication of our health and other essential services staff towards containing this virus is a testament of our courage and resilience as a people and as a great nation, and I use this opportunity to say thank you to all of you for your service to the nation.”

  • NNPC makes staff strength public

    NNPC makes staff strength public

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it currently has 6,621 staff strength both at its headquarters and across all its subsidiaries, division and offices nationwide.

    The corporation disclosed this in its report of compliance with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’s (EITI) Open Data requirements, released in Abuja on Monday.

    The report disclosed that the 6,621 individuals comprised its total staff strength as at April 20, 2020.

    This meant that the recently employed 1,050 fresh graduates were captured, as their employments were concluded in February.

    According to the report, NNPC has 13 divisions/Strategic Business Units nationwide.

    It said that while 5,410 of corporation’s workforce representing 81.7 per cent were male, 211 were women, representing 18.3 per cent of its total staff strength.

    The report further pointed out that the three refineries — Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri refineries — had 1,898 staff, representing 28.7 per cent of NNPC group’s total workforce.

    A break down of the staff distribution by the report showed that 1,869 staff, comprising 28.2 per cent of its total workforce, were involved in operations engineering across all the divisions and Strategic Business Units (SBU); followed by human resources, with 818 staff.

    This, it said, j0 comprised 12.35 per cent of its total workforce; while 684 staff were Health, Safety and Environment officers, representing 10.3 per cent of its total workforce.

    “Finance, Accounts, Audit, Tax and Insurance staff across all its divisions and SBU are 605; commercial staffers are 506; general engineering staff are 466 and supply chain management staff, 337.

    “Information technology personnel are 301; medical staff are 204; leadership staff are 196; while NNPC Group’s geosciences staff are 142,” it said.

    The report also noted that public affairs staff were 108; petroleum engineering staff 74; legal personnel 55; and well engineering staff 48.

    Furthermore, the report revealed that 27.2 per cent, comprising 1,801 NNPC’s staff were currently employed in the corporate headquarters.

    It said that 13 per cent of the NNPC group’s total workforce were employed in the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC); while 758 individuals wers currently employed in the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC).

    This, it said, represented 11.4 per cent of the NNPC group’s total workforce.

    “The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), which is currently shut down and awaiting revamp, has 655 staff; Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) 550 staff; the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) has 485 staff.

    “NNPC’s commercial and investment subsidiary, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) has 426 staff; while the corporation’s downstream subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) has 255 staff,” it said

    In addition, the report noted that Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) has 254 staff; Integrated Data Services Limited, 175 staff; Crude Oil Marketing Division of the NNPC and Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) 152 staff each.

    “While National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO) has 64 staff in its employment.”

    Analysis of the corporation’s staff strength showed that of the total workforce, while one staff was in JS2, 527 others were in JS1 grade level categories respectively.

    It noted that 85 staff, 103 staff, 259 staff, 740 staff, 700 staff, 1,674, and 1,690 staff were in the grade level SS7, SS6, SS5, SS4, SS3, SS2 and SS1 respectively.

    Grade levels M6, M5, M4, M3, M2 and M1, which is the management cadre, had 408 staff, 238 staff, 143 staff, 44 staff, eight staff and one staff (chief executive) respectively.

  • APM Terminals staff tests positive for COVID-19 after receiving Malaria treatments

    An employee of APM Terminals Apapa has tested positive for COVID-19, an official said Tuesday.

    The last time the worker was at the port was April 16, but his COVID-19 infection was confirmed on April 27.

    The company’s General Manager, External Relations, Daniel Odibe, made the disclosure in a statement in Lagos.

    “APM Terminals hereby informs the port community and general public of a positive COVID-19 case concerning a staff of APM Terminals Apapa Limited. The said employee’s last day at work was on April 16.

    “The employee developed malaria symptoms and was referred to a hospital where he was initially treated before he was referred to Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) for further test.

    “We were informed on April 27 that the test result came out positive,” he said.

    Odibe explained that the case was currently being handled by NCDC, while the company continues with its precautionary and response plans in strict adherence to the COVID19 protocol.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Tension in NPA as COVID-19 infected top shot mixed carefree with staff, patronised private hospital

    EXCLUSIVE: Tension in NPA as COVID-19 infected top shot mixed carefree with staff, patronised private hospital

    There is palpable tension at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Lagos after a senior staff who had been in contact with other staff members of the agency tested positive for coronavirus [COVID-19], TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) can authoritatively report.

    According to an insider source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the affected staff in his early forties is Head of Protocol of the Port and Cargo Department (P&C) and works directly under the Managing Director of the P&C.

    “He is currently receiving treatments in a private hospital in Apapa. No one is sure of his travel history but he has been in contact with top management officials of the NPA. The NCDC officials are coming to evacuate him to their facility tomorrow but we fear he might have infected people in the department and hospital where he is receiving treatment,” the source said.

    The source confirmed that the NPA management has been holding emergency meetings since discovering the COVID-19 case. However, it is not clear what immediate efforts the NPA is putting in place to stop a looming spread of the virus amongst its staff.

    TNG reports that if not professionally handled, this development might further increase the already high figures of COVID-19 cases in Lagos in the coming days. Recall that the Federal and State Governments had earlier warned suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases against patronising private hospitals to reduce spread. The private hospitals were also sternly warned not to admit or treat suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.

    TNG reports that as at Thursday, 23rd April, the state has 590 cases, 445 active, 107 discharged, 2 evacuated, 8 transferred and 18 deaths.

    Meanwhile, the management of the NPA is yet to issue any official statement as regards this development. Multiple efforts by TNG to get reactions from the management was unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report.

     

  • JUST IN: Lagos private hospital shuts down operations after two staff test positive for COVID-19

    A private hospital in Lagos, Vedic Lifecare hospital, has temporarily shut down its operations after two of its staff and an in-patient tested positive for coronavirus.

    “Approximately 10 days ago, we had an in-patient who later tested positive for COVID 19 after discharge,” the hospital, located in Lekki, said in a statement on Monday.

    “As per protocols set by NCDC we have tested our staff who have come in contact with the COVID positive patient and unfortunately, we have had 2 staff members who tested positive yesterday.”

    “Till this moment, they do not show any symptoms. The facility is currently closed off for decontamination of the building and the fumigation activities,” the state further said.

    Furthermore, the hospital management also advised patients and other category of people who visited the hospital in the last 10 days to go for testing and self-isolate thereafter.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Lagos remains the epicentre of the coronavirus in Nigeria with 376 cases recorded, 60% of Nigeria’s total.

    The state recorded 187 new cases over the past week – 70 of those cases were recorded on Sunday alone, its highest single day record of new cases.

    As of April 19, Nigeria has recorded 627 coronavirus cases in 21 states and the FCT. 170 people have recovered and been discharged, but 21 people have died.

  • COVID-19: UK returnee staff of Fidelity Bank tests positive

    Fidelity Bank on Thursday revealed that one of its staff who returned from a holiday in the United Kingdom has tested positive for coronavirus.

    The bank noted that the individual had embarked on self-isolation upon his arrival in the country in line with its policy that mandates staff/family members who have travelled overseas in recent time to self isolate for 14 days and test for the virus before returning to work.

    “Fidelity Bank mandates staff or immediate family member(s) who travel out the country to self-isolate for two weeks and obtain medical clearance before returning to work as part of our COVID-19 preventive and precautionary measures,” the statement signed by Charles Aigbe, the bank’s divisional head for brand and communications, read.

    “This process was activated and strictly adhered to by one of our staff members who returned from holidays in the United Kingdom.

    “He was in self-isolation and underwent testing in line with the bank’s policy. The test results returned positive at the weekend and we quickly arranged for him to be moved to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), where he is currently being attended to by health officials.”

    According to the bank, two other members of staff who received gifts from the individual have also been made to self-isolate and the office where they work has been temporarily closed.

    The bank said no customers were identified in the contact tracing that was carried out.

    Also, the bank said it has shut down its business office at the federal secretariat in Abuja and advised all staff/vendors to self-isolate and go for testing in line with its policy on COVID-19, on account of possible exposure of a vendor staff.

    The bank said it is carrying out other measures like reducing the number of staff expected to report physically at work and number of customers allowed at a time in the banking hall to a maximum of five to curb the spread of the virus.

  • US Vice President’s staff tests positive for coronavirus

    US Vice President’s staff tests positive for coronavirus

    A staff member in the office of US Vice President Mike Pence has tested positive for coronavirus, Pence’s spokesperson said Friday night.

    “‪This evening we were notified that a member of the Office of the Vice President tested positive for the Coronavirus.

    Neither President Trump nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual,” said Katie Miller.

    “Further contact tracing is being conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines.”

    The staff was not identified.

  • NNPC bans international travels for staff amid Coronavirus threats

    NNPC bans international travels for staff amid Coronavirus threats

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has placed a ban on international travel for its staffers due to Coronavirus outbreak.

    According to reports reaching TheNEwsGuru (TNG), the corporation said any essential international travel would henceforth need approval from a member of the company’s Group Managing Director (GMD)

    A contact who spoke to TNG on condition of anonymity revealed that activities centred on business trips including training are now presently put on a hold in NNPC.

    A message shared by the management with the staffers reads “The GMD, NNPC has placed a ban on international travels as a result of the outbreak of Coronavirus in several parts of the world. This includes all business trips including trainings. Any international trip at this time will require the approval of the GMD.

    This is for our information and immediate compliance.”

  • NECO dismisses 19 staff for certificate forgery

    NECO dismisses 19 staff for certificate forgery

    The National Examinations Council (NECO) has dismissed 19 of its workers for allegedly forging their certificates.

    Their dismissal was approved by the council’s Governing Board after perusing the report of a Staff Certificate Verification Committee it set up at its 52nd regular meeting.

    NECO’s Head of Information and Public Relations Division, Azeez Sani, announced this in a statement yesterday in Abuja.

    The statement said the committee wrote the institutions some of the affected workers claimed to have attended and the institutions denied issuing them certificates.

    It reads: “The Governing Board of the NECO has approved the dismissal of 19 staff members from its service for certificate forgery.

    “A Staff Certificate Verification Committee constituted by the management carried out its assignment diligently by inviting some workers with questionable credentials to appear before it, during which the affected workers attested that their certificates were forged.

    “The committee also contacted the schools and institutions which the affected workers claimed to have attended and they denied having certificated them.

    “At its 52nd regular meeting, the Governing Board of the council vetted the report of the Certificate Verification Committee and approved the dismissal of the affected workers.

    “…The Governing Board had, at its 17th Extra-Ordinary meeting in November, 2019, also approved the dismissal of 70 workers for certificate forgery.”