FG to ease gas prices, boost supply to Power Plants

The Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, has said that the regulatory agency will consider endorsing contracts for natural-gas supply above the regulated rate between a “willing buyer and willing seller,” so as to ensure increased deliveries to the country’s ailing power plants.

Nigeria, which holds Africa’s largest gas reserves, raised the price of gas to power plants to $2.50 for 1,000 standard cubic feet last August from about 50 cents to help spur deliveries but gas producers have said that they may need more than that to guarantee supplies.

Nigeria produces about 9 billion cubic feet of gas a day, of which half is exported as liquefied natural gas, while one billion cubic feet is flared during oil production and another 1 billion is re-injected into oil wells to maintain pressure. Almost 2 billion goes to industries and power plants, where demand is forecast to more than double to five billion cubic feet a day in two years.

Amadi said any proposed gas deals from energy companies must be “prudent.” “The bottom line is that because the tariff in the electricity industry is regulated, the cost of gas will be regulated,” he added.

Cech receives death threats from Chelsea fans after Arsenal move

Former Chelsea goal-keeper Petr Cech is the target of death threats from some Chelsea supporters, after his transfer to Arsenal was confirmed on Monday.

The Czech goalkeeper spent 11 seasons at Stamford Bridge, but spent the 2014/2015 campaign as second choice behind Thibaut Courtois.

As Gooners rejoiced over the capture of a world-class stopper, it was not the same for Blues fans who fumed and threatened the 33-year-old.

One fan targeted his family with a tweet on Monday reading: “Say goodbye to your family for one last time before they go to sleep, you won’t be seeing them tomorrow you snake idiot”.

That fan has since had his Twitter account removed.

Another Twitter user named @Enegali10 posted: “F******** off just saw Cech signed. Go f*** yourself. F****** brain damaged ugly sk**. Hope your kids have cancer. F****** nonce.”

He added: “I’m going to bring my SR-25 sniper rifle to the Bridge when we play Arsenal. Will be so f****** good to see Cech’s blood on the pitch.”

One said: “Hope we sign Arda Turan now so he can cause Petr Cech another head injury,” referring to the head injury Cech suffered in 2006, while another added: “Cech is not bigger then our club, you are deluded & dumb if you defend him.

    NASS elections: Your allegations are baseless, meaningless – Dogara fires back at Akande

“He’s a traitor & a snake. No other way to put it.”

NUC names University of Ibadan number 1 in Nigeria – See list of top 100

The National University Commission (NUC), has released its annual university rankings and named University of Ibadan in Oyo state as the top tertiary institution in Nigeria.

The body, which is responsible for accreditation of schools, put University of Lagos in second place and rated Covenant University as the best private university.

Below is the 2013 Top 100 NUC University Ranking in Nigeria.
2013 TOP 100 University In Nigeria by NUC
1. University of Ibadan, UI
2. University of Lagos, Unilag
3. University of Benin, Uniben
4. Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU
5. Ahmadu Bello University, Abu
6. University of Ilorin, Unilorin
7. University of Jos, Unijos
8. University of Port Harcourt, Uniport
9. University of Maiduguri, Unimaid
10. University of Agriculture, Abeokuta,
11. Lagos State University, Lasu
12. Federal University of Technology, Futo
13. Covenant University, CU
14. University of Nigeria, UNN
15. Federal University of Technology, Futa
16. Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Unizik
17. Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Esut
18. Pan African University
19. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology. lautech
20. Modibbo Adama University of Technology
21. African University of Science and Technology
22. University of Uyo, Uniuyo
23. Bayero University Kano, Buk
24. Ambrose Alli University, AAU
25. Redeemer’s University,
26. Babcock University
27. Federal University of Technology,
28. University of Calabar, Unical
29. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture,
30. Ajayi Crowther University
31. Bowen University
32. Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Rsust
33. Lead City University
34. Crawford University
35. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, ATBU
36. Abia State University, Absu
37. Usmanu Danfodio University,
38. Igbinedion University
39. Imo State University, Imsu
40. Niger Delta University
41. Bells University of Technology
42. Kwara State University
43. Nasarawa State University
44. Caleb University
45. Obong University Obong
46. Adekunle Ajasin University
47. Ekiti State University,
48. American University of Nigeria
49. Joseph Ayo Babalola University
50. Veritas University Abuja
51. Afe Babalola University
52. Kaduna State University Kaduna
53. Osun State University Oshogbo …
54. Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University Katsina
55. Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ndufu-Alike
56. Salem University Lokoja
57. Novena University Ogume
58. Achievers University, Owo Owo
59. Benson Idahosa University Benin City
60. Ebonyi State University Abakaliki
61. University of Abuja Abuja
62. University of Mkar Mkar
63. Madonna University Okija
64. Bingham University Auta Balifi
65. Plateau State University Bokkos
66. Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun
67. Federal University, Dutse Dutse
68. Nigerian Turkish Nile University Abuja
69. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai
70. Landmark University Omu-Aran
71. Delta State University, Abraka Abraka
72. University of Agriculture, Makurdi Makurdi
73. Renaissance University Enugu
74. Federal University, Otuoke Otuoke
75. Tai Solarin University of Education Ijebu-Ode …
76. Federal University, Oye-Ekiti Oye …
77. Kano State University of Technology Wudil
78. Tansian University Umunya …
79. Akwa Ibom State University Uyo
80. Baze University Abuja
81. Kebbi State University of Science and Technology Aliero
82. Benue State University Makurdi
83. Adeleke University Ede
84. Ondo State University of Science & Technology Okitipupa
85. Kogi State University Anyigba
86. Western Delta University Oghara
87. Federal University, Wukari Wukari
88. Paul University Awka
89. Caritas University Enugu
90. Federal University, Lafia Lafia
91. Cross River University of Science & Technology Calabar …
92. Fountain University Oshogbo
93. Al-Hikmah University Ilorin
94. Godfrey Okoye University Ugwuomu-Nike
95. Oduduwa University Ile Ife
96. Anambra State University Uli
97. Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago Iwoye …
98. Federal University, Lokoja Lokoja
99. Federal University, Kashere Kashere
100. Rhema University Obeama-Asa

Okonjo-Iweala spent $2.1bn without approval, says FG

The National Economic Council, chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday accused a former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, of spending $2.1bn from the Excess Crude Account without authorisation.

“We looked at the numbers for the Excess Crude Account. The last time the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, reported to the council, and it is in the minutes, she reported by November 2014 that we had $4.1 bn.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Today, the Accountant-General Office reported we have $2.0bn. Which means the honourable minister spent $2.1bn without authority of the NEC and that money was not distributed to states, it was not paid to the three tiers of government,” Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole told State House correspondents after the NEC’s 58th meeting in Abuja.

The ‘unauthorised’ spending, according to the economic council, is among the several anomalies discovered in the management of the nation’s economy between 2012 and May 2015.

Within the period, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was said to have earned a total of N8.1 tn but remitted only N4.3tn.

Consequently, the Federal Government has constituted Oshiomhole, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel; and Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, into a panel to probe the NNPC and the ECA between 2012 and May, 2015.

Oshiomhole, el-Rufai, Emmanuel and the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulazeez Yari, jointly briefed journalists at the end of the meeting.

Yari told the journalists, through the Director of Funds, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. M.K. Dikwa, that council members received the report of the ECA and unremitted funds by the NNPC.

He said, “On that line, a four-man committee consisting of the governors of Edo, Gombe, Kaduna and Akwa Ibom states was constituted to go through the books of the NNPC and Excess Crude as well as the Federation Account.

”The four-man committee will check the books of the NNPC, most especially the issue of excess crude and what is not remitted into the Federation Account.

“The Federal Government, in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria, will look inwards to see how to support and how much they will give to states, especially on the issue of outstanding salaries owed by the states and even the Federal Government.”

Shedding new light on what transpired at the NEC meeting, Oshiomhole said the NNPC and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation were compelled for the first time to provide information on the total sales of Nigeria’s crude from 2012 to May 2015.

The Edo governor said, “We are talking about transparency; we are talking about change. And what we saw from those numbers, which I believe that Nigerians are entitled to know, is that whereas the NNPC claimed to have earned N8.1tn, what NNPC paid into the Federation Account from 2012 to May 2015 was N4.3tn.

“What it means is that the NNPC withheld and spent N3.8 tn.

“The major revelation here is that the entire federation, that is the Federal Government, the states and all the 774 local governments, the amount the NNPC paid into the Federation Account for distribution to these three tiers of government came to N4.3 tn and the NNPC alone took and spent N3.8tn.

“This means that the cost of running the NNPC is much more than the cost of running the Federal Government. That tells you how much is missing, what is mismanaged and what is stolen. There are huge figures.”

Oshiomhole said the only lawful way decreed by the Constitution was that if the NNPC needed to spend money, it needed to prepare its budget like every other business enterprise, get it scrutinised by the executive and then forward same to the National Assembly for appropriation.

He added, “If the Federal Government cannot spend without appropriation, why should any agency spend without appropriation.

“This is what the Constitution provided for and this is what President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to do; henceforth all money must go to the Federation Account.

“If you were doing that, you would not have a situation where the NNPC alone will spend N3.8trn and remit to the federal, states and local governments N4.3trn, which means NNPC is taking about 47 per cent and that explains all the leakages you are talking about.”

El-Rufai recalled that he was part of the decision to put in place the ECA during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo between 2004 and 2005 as an administrative arrangement to save for a rainy day.

He said the account was set up in order to be accountable such that every state and local government would know what they had in the account though they could not spend it.

He said, “The Excess Crude Account is 52 per cent owned by the Federal Government and 48 per cent owned by the states and the local governments.

“So the decision of the NEC is to set up this committee of four to look at the operations of the Excess Crude Account and make recommendations to council on its future.

“The other thing the committee will do is to look at the operations of the Federation Account, particularly the shortfall and again come back to council with very clear recommendations as to what to do.

“We have not been given a time frame but as you can imagine state governments are under pressure, many of our state governments are unable to pay salaries on time without recourse to borrowing, so this is very important to us.

“This is an all-governors’ committee; we wear the shoes and we know where they pinch. So we are going to do this as quickly as possible.

“The next meeting of the council is on July 23; we hope to complete our work and be in a position to report to council on that day. So within the next one month, we will be done by God’s grace.”

Oil barons didn’t sponsor us, Saraki, Dogara reply Akande

The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, on Monday described as baseless a claim by the former All Progressives Congress Interim 

National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, that their elections on June 9 were sponsored by oil barons.

Saraki and Dogara stated this in separate statements by their aides in Abuja on Monday.

Akande, in a widely publicised statement on Sunday, had alleged that oil barons who never liked President Muhammadu Buhari`s anti-corruption stance, sponsored the elections of Saraki and Dogara in a bid to stifle the new government.

ADVERTISEMENT

Akande also alleged that some splinter groups within the APC were aligning with old and new Peoples Democratic Party forces to launch a platform for the 2019 polls.

Dogara, in a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, challenged Akande to name the oil barons.

The speaker said he expected Akande, an elder statesman, to play his fatherly role at a period of disputes within the APC’s family by seeking ways to reconcile the factions, rather than attacking his person.

Dogara said that the allegations existed only in Akande’s “imagination”, adding that he won his election based on the support of his colleagues, his competence and capacity to preside over the House as the Speaker.

The speaker recalled that the first investigative motion passed by the House after his election was to probe the alleged crude oil swap contracts awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

He noted that it did not make sense for him to back the probe of the same oil sector’s stakeholders Akande alleged to have sponsored his election.

Part of the statement read, “It is baseless and lacking in substance and merit and can best be described as figment of Chief Akande`s imagination.

“We challenge Chief Akande to name the so-called oil barons whom he alleged sponsored the election of the speaker.

“In case Chief Akande does not know, the first investigative motion adopted by the 8th House of Representatives under the leadership of the Speaker was to investigate the allegation of fraud in the oil-swap contract awarded by the NNPC.

“A resolution for investigation into the allegation was passed to constitute an ad-hoc committee to investigate the NNPC as well as its subsidiary, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, over the swap contracts.

“How then can the House, under the leadership of Mr. Speaker, order investigation into activities of those 

who allegedly sponsored its election?”

The speaker claimed that his anti-corruption stance was not in doubt as the Legislative Agenda of the 8th House of Representatives adequately captured it.

“Mr. Speaker has on different occasions reiterated his resolve to compliment President Buhari`s anti-corruption stance and insists that the present crop of leaders don’t have any excuse to give to Nigerians on the change promised them before and during the election that brought the APC into power”, he said.

Also, the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, described the allegations as mischievous and totally false.

Okocha, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, said Akande’s claim gave a negative and dirty impression that the emergence of the senate president was aimed at sabotaging the anti-corruption posture of Buhari’s government and the ‘Change agenda’ of the APC.

He said, “Ordinarily, we would have ignored the report, but for the sole reason that some undiscerning readers might mistake the fiction for the facts.

“We also wish to state unequivocally that it was wrong and mischievous for the statement by Chief Akande to link what happened on the floor of both chambers to some unnamed oil barons.

“We dare say that the entire story was the figment of the imagination of the author.”

Okocha added that Saraki, as the chairman of an ad hoc committee in the 7th Senate, exposed the fraud and mismanagement in the oil sector.

He said, “Until Saraki raised his motion on the floor of the Senate, no one was in the picture of the rot in the sector or took any action.”

“Senator Saraki will be the last person the oil baron will want to see as Senate President. No doubt, we make bold to state that Saraki is the last person to be so sponsored by the oil barons or cabals.

“In that position, Saraki did not only lead his colleagues in exposing the rot in the scheme, but made very strong recommendations on how the system could be reformed and made corruption- free.”

Okocha said that it was on records that after Saraki’s motion on the floor of the Senate, the House of Representatives followed it up with the oil subsidy probe.

He recalled that the ministers of Finance and Petroleum were summoned and, at least, over N500bn was saved.

Okocha said, “During the Senate hearing on the missing $20bn, for those who attended the public hearing, Senator Saraki led the onslaught of difficult questions to the Minister of Finance, Minister of Petroleum and other federal agencies, despite being in the ruling party then.

“To this effect, Senator Saraki refused to sign the final copy of the committee’s report but rather, put forward a minority report with a press statement that followed suit.”

He added that Saraki opposed the inclusion of kerosene subsidy in the 2015 budget, adding that the senate president rejected the Petroleum Swap deal by the NNPC.

Okocha stated, “Let it be known, therefore, that the Senate Presidency of Dr. Bukola Saraki would not in any way be a stumbling block against President Buhari’s posture against anti- corruption.

“Rather, the 8th Senate under him as the president would give all necessary legislative support to the administration to fight and reduce corruption as his previous actions and bold steps taken against the so called oil barons indicate that Saraki is committed to anti-corruption.”

He said that Saraki was elected unopposed as the Senate President, adding that it was a lie that his election was sponsored by oil barons.

“Senator Bukola Saraki is determined and focused to achieve for the Senate targeted legislative agenda and he is committed to support President Buhari to deliver on his promises to the people of Nigeria,” Okocha said

NASS Crisis: How subsidy thieves, corrupt businessmen, enthroned Saraki, Dogara – Bisi Akande

The former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Bisi Akande, has fingered fuel subsidy thieves, and corrupt businessmen as being behind the current crisis in the APC which culminated in the emergence of Bukola Saraki as senate president and Yakubu Dogara as speaker of the House of Representatives, contrary to the wishes of the ruling party.

In a statement Sunday, the former governor of Osun state said those jittery of President Muhammadu Buhari’s constant threat of anti-corruption battle encouraged and financed the rebellions against the APC democratic positions which led to the emergence of Messrs Saraki and Dogara as candidates of the PDP tendencies inside and outside the APC.

“Before the party knew it, the process had been hijacked by polluted interests who saw the inordinate contests as a loop-hole for stifling APC government’s efforts in its desire to fight corruption,” Mr. Akande said.

“Most Northern elite, the Nigerian oil subsidy barons and other business cartels, who never liked Buhari’s anti-corruption political stance, are quickly backing up the rebellion against APC with strong support. While other position seekers are waiting in the wings until Buhari’s ministers are announced, a large section of the Southwest see the rebellion as a conspiracy of the North against the Yoruba.”

The former governor suggested a way out of the logjam in the party.

He said, “Now that the whole conspiracy has blown open, it is doubtful if the present institutions of party leadership can muster the required capacity to arrest the drift. It is my opinion that President Buhari, and the APC governors should now see APC as a wrecking platform that may not be strong enough again to carry them to political victory in 2019 and they should quickly begin a joint damage control effort to reconstruct the party in its claim to bring about the promised change before the party’s shortcomings begin to aggravate the challenges of governance in their hands.”

Customers storm banks as accounts verification ends tomorrow

Customers in Owerri have besieged banks trying to beat the deadline of June 30 for the verification of bank accounts.

A Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria who visited some banks in Owerri on Monday, reports that bank officials and security operatives, were having a tough time controlling the customers.

Reacting to the development, some of the customers called for the extension of the deadline.

A customer at the First Bank, Mrs Catherine Okwuosa, said a lot of people spent the whole day queuing for the exercise without being verified.

“If this exercise ends as proposed, it will be unfair as many of us will not be captured. I plead that they should extend it by another one month,” she said.

Another customer, Mrs Cordelia Nwaiwu, also complained of the large crowds at the bank, and urged the bank management to increase the number of service points.

ADVERTISEMENT

“You cannot believe that as early as 5.30 am, a lot of people have already gathered to write their names, to be captured when the bank opens by 8.am.

“Unfortunately, when they started, they said they will complete those left the previous day. I had been trying for the past three days to see that my account was verified, to no avail,” she said.

At the Fidelity bank, the story was the same as a customer, Mr Mike Nwachukwu, called on banks to simplify the process by making it possible for customers to be verified over the Internet.

“If people are allowed to be verified on-line, it will reduce the number of customers that queue at banks for the exercise,” he said.

In his reaction, Chief Caleb Orji, a businessman, noted that the initiative was laudable to check the increasing cases of bank fraud, but said it should be a continuous process.

A civil servant, Mrs Blessing Ugochukwu, expressed the fear that civil servants, whose accounts had not been verified, could find it difficult to access their salary.

She called on the Central Bank to extend the deadline to allow more people complete the verification process.

An official of one of the banks, who pleaded for anonymity, told NAN that at the end of the exercise, those not verified would be captured whenever they came for any bank transaction.

He lamented that the exercise had been going on since last year, only for people to be in a rush now.

Should FG legalise gay marriage in Nigeria?

Now that the US has demonstrated its commitment to equality before the law, by ensuring same-sex couples can now marry in all 50 states of the confederate following its historic Supreme Court’s ruling which gave marriage equality as a constitutional right throughout the country one will wonder if this trend will find its way to Nigeria.

Gay-MarriageIn Nigeria,  Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons are still facing legal and social challenges. Here, same-sex sexual relationship is not only illegal, it is a punishable offence.

According to the stipulations of Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act in Nigeria,  offenders are to face 14 years’ imprisonment , and the punishment is death by stoning in the twelve northern states that have adopted Sharia law , which applies to all Muslims and to those who have voluntarily consented to application of the Sharia courts in the region.

Nigeria has been criticized severely by civil rights organizations, as well as the United Nations, for failing to uphold, and violating, the rights of LGBT people but this has not changed the cultural disposition of its people to the topic.

However, the golden question is, can you ever imagine same-sex relationship and/ or marriage becoming a way of life in Nigeria?

Let us have you opinion. Kindly drop your views.