Edo yet to receive $75m World Bank loan – Oshiomhole

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo on Friday said the State was yet to receive the $75million World Bank loan recently approved for the state.
Oshiomhole disclosed this in Benin during a Colloquium organised by the State Government to round off activities marking its 7th year in office.

The governor said the clarification became necessary to instil confidence in the people that the state government’s ability to pay salaries up to date was not based on the loan, but on prudent management of resources.

He contended that it was not the business of government to do business.

“It is rather to create the enabling environment for citizens to make wealth so that government could collect taxes and develop the society.’’

He noted that government and governance were not value-free, adding that the way forward was to focus on continued development of every sector of the economy.

He also said government would strategise to ensure that workers earned their pay and give government value for pay.

He disclosed that the government was thinking of reintroducing the dissolved Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) to help manage and control traffic in the state capital.

On aesthetics, the governor said the administration was looking at new approaches to ensure that sweeping of roads in the state capital becomes a permanent norm.

He said he recently approved money for the rebuilding and restoration of the water fountain at the Oba Ovoranmwen Square.

Earlier, Mr Austin Osakue, member of civil society group and discussant, called on the governor to carry out a staff audit of the workforce in the state.

He also said the government should embark on robust engagement of participatory system of governance.

He noted that the governor, since the inception of his administration, was yet to use up 30 per cent of his capacity to encourage participatory system of administration.

Osakue stressed that every sector of government should be included in a discussion that would ensure issues and challenges in the state were discussed with a view to finding a middle ground.

Mr Femi Falana (SAN) who moderated the discussion, said the forum was to x-ray the present administration as well as use the opportunity to cross fertilise ideas.

10,000 Nigerians expelled from Central African Republic, Cameroon set to return

The Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi, on Friday in Yola, Adamawa State, said it would evacuate 10,000 more Nigerians from Central African Republic and Cameroon.

Sani-Sidi made this known during the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Malkohi Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Yola.

According to the director-general, the Nigerians were expelled from Cameroon and Central African Republic.

Oshiomhole, Igbinedion in war of Words

•He allocated Edo land to his father, alleges Oshiomhole,
•You’re a sinking man – Igbinedion

By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin-City

THE current war between Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and former governor Lucky Igbinedion has taken fresh dimensions with the two leaders trading allegations. The development has tended to heighten tension in the area two groups of residents took to the streets last Monday and Wednesday protesting government’s recent introduction of the land charge policy.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Chief Lucky Igbinedion
The anti-land charge protestors who marched through major streets in Benin-City were allegedly sponsored by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

But in a counter protest, a multitude of youths said to comprise students and civil society organizations backed the land use charge policy and commended government over what they described as its efforts to collect such taxes from the rich to assist the poor.

The group of solidarity protesters marched to the House of Assembly complex and Government House where Oshiomhole addressed them and described Igbinedion’s alleged unlawful withdrawal of $31 million from the government coffers as clear abuse of power.

Oshiomhole also said that the Igbinedion family had thrown caution to the winds, using every available means to wage war against him because he recovered over 200,000 hectares of land illegally by Chief Gabriel Igbinedion during the tenure of his son as governor.

According to the Governor, “let me thank all of you for coming out in huge numbers to express your solidarity, your support and your endorsement of my stewardship here at Osadebey Avenue.

Let me assure you, I will continue without fear of man, but with the fear of God to provide leadership that will deliver prosperity to the great people of this great state. To be able to do that, everybody, everybody born of a woman who lives in this state must be subjected to the rule of law.

“In the interest of Edo people, even the ones yet unborn, I want to be remembered after my stewardship not only for roads, hospitals, for schools and much more importantly, I want to be remembered as the man who brought an end to exemption.

There is no more exemption in Edo State. I want to be remembered as the man who took from those who have bastardized, raped and privatized the resources of Edo State, used our money to build their private universities and they walk around our streets when they are supposed to be in prison.”

Alleged land deals

According to Oshiomhole, “let me share with you some of the things that are going on and why they are angry. I did not promise to make everybody happy, what I promised was to make the majority happy. I will publish records in black and white and Edo people will be shocked how they have been raped.

You are here looking for a small parcel of land and Lucky Igbinedion, former Governor here gave out to his own father, Gabriel Igbinedion over 200,000 acres of government land.   They took that land on the ground that they will use it for mechanized farming.

That is what is in the books but what is on ground is that, Igbinedion takes this land and gives this land to cocoa farmers, some of them from Edo, some from Yoruba land. These cocoa farmers will farm and sweat to grow their cocoa on government land, Igbinedion will sit in his house on which he is not paying ground rent and is collecting royalties.

Is Igbinedion the Oba of Benin? The great Oba of the great Benin Kingdom never subjected his people to that level of exploitation. Can you accept that one chief collects royalties as if he is a traditional ruler.

Based on the powers vested in me, as the elected Governor of Edo State, I used those privileges to revoke the over 200,000 hectares of land that the Igbinedion, the son gave to Igbinedion the father. I revoked it and I returned it to government.

“You need to hear as students of AAU how Igbinedion raided Edo State resources. You know that in AAU, we have College of Medicine where we are training doctors. In 2000, when Lucky was in government, AAU was producing Medical students.

These medical students are supposed to be attached to a hospital for their clinical. The Igbinedion family decided that AAU will not use the state-owned hospital. They decided on record that our Central Hospital will be reserved for Igbinedion University.

Some of you will remember that AAU medical students had to go to University of Jos Teaching Hospital for their clinical at their own expense. When UniJos could no longer take them, they made arrangement to take them to Uniben.

When the authorities found out the capacity of Uniben could not accommodate them, AAU students were stranded. In the end, they ended up with Irrua Specialist Hospital. Now, what did they do with the Edo state-owned Central Hospital?

Igbinedion the son, entered into agreement with Igbinedion the father that the Central Hospital shall be reserved for medical students of Igbinedion University, Okada. So, whereas Edo State Government owns a university, their own students were denied the use of Edo State-owned hospital. Edo State hospital was obliged to teach students of Igbinedion University, Okada.

They agreed that Igbinedion University will pay some fees to the Central Hospital. The amount to be paid was not stated. Every year, the taxes that you pay were being used to provide facilities for the Central Hospital to teach the students of Igbinedion University and they paid zero cost. Edo State Government paid the lecturers, the doctors and provides all the consumables in the hospital.

“So I revoked it and directed the Commissioner to write to terminate the MoU and to demand that Igbinedion pays about N30 million per year for those periods and I directed he should be charged to court. That is the fight.

“I fight with clean conscience to secure the collective future of our people. My motives are not personal. My mission in government is not to bring hardship to anyone. I just want to correct what is wrong and get going. I am not here to look at yesterday but if you over do it and you continue, we need to put an end to it.”

Oshiomhole’s allegations baseless

But former Governor Igbinedion in an advertorial carpeted Oshiomhole describing him as a sinking man Igbinedion said that allegation of illegal deduction of money had no basis even as he accused Oshiomhole of a deliberate policy of grounding the industries he established when he was governor.

However, Oshiomhole in his 7th  anniversary as governor on Thursday responded to the allegation that he failed to build industries arguing that the industries the Igbinedion administration built were never meant to function, rather to siphon money.

“The previous government is quick to tell us that they built a factory in Ehor, Casavita at Uromi, Fertilizer at Auchi and Ikpesi Fruit Juice Factory. The intention of that government was simply to use these outfits to siphon public funds to private pockets. They were never intended to function and they never functioned one day even under their government,” Oshiomhole said.

Assets declaration: Suswan, Imoke, four other ex-govs to face trial

•Ex-North-East gov flees abroad
• Hidden assets of 15 other former govs uncovered

The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mr. Danladi Umar, has signed the warrant for the arraignment of six former governors for falsifying their assets declaration forms.

The six former governors, according to investigation conducted by our correspondent, include ex-Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, and his Cross River State counterpart, Liyel Imoke.

The identities of the four others could not be ascertained at press time.

Also to face trial is a retired permanent secretary for abuse of office while a former governor from the North East is beleived to have gone on exile barely a week after the conclusion of paperworks for his trial.

Fear and confusion in Paris after deadly attacks

Story highlights
*.At least 120 killed, 200 injured in six attacks across Paris
*.About 80 of the victims killed at Bataclan concert hall
*.Four attackers dead at Bataclan
*.Another four attackers dead elsewhere in Paris
*.Three restaurants and a shopping centre targeted in shootings
*.Residents in Paris asked to stay indoors
*.Manhunt for suspects continues

A state of emergency has been declared across France after attacks on restaurants, a concert hall anda sports stadium in Paris killed at least 120 people, sowing widespread fear.
Four gunmen killed up to 80 young people attending a rock concert at the Bataclan music hall on Friday evening, city hall officials said.
Heavily armed policemen eventually launched an assault on the building. The gunmen detonated explosive belts and dozens of shocked survivors were rescued.

The attackers were killed at the site and a manhunt is under way as a number of armed men are believed to be at large. About 40 more people were killed in five other attacks in the Paris region, officials said, including an apparent double suicide bombing outside the national stadium Stade de France. President Francois Hollande and the German foreign minister were watching a friendly football match between France and Germany there when the attacks occurred. Some 200 people were injured. The coordinated assault came as France, a member ofthe US-led coalition waging air strikes against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters in Syria and Iraq, was on high alert for attacks.

There has been no claim of responsibility as of yet. Paris Public Prosecutor Francois Molins said the death toll was at least 120. His spokeswoman said eight assailants had also died, seven of whom had blown themselves up with explosive belts at various locations, while one had been shot dead by police. As France awakened on Saturday, security was tight across the capital, where about 1,500 soldiers were deployed, leave was cancelled for police personnel and hospitals recalled staff to cope with the casualties. Three restaurants and a shopping centre were also targeted in shooting attacks.

Reports also said that Paris has cancelled all public transportation services including the Metro on Saturday, as French newspapers decried a "War in the heart of Paris" with black mastheads.

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​Fuel crisis: NNPC orders mega stations, others to commence 24-hour service

With pockets of queues at filling stations heralding a gradual return of fuel crisis in the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Friday announced a number of measures to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products to consumers.

The Executive Director (Commercial), Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Justine Ezeala, said in Abuja that the corporation has a projected stock of 1.4 billion litres of petrol, available for distribution nationwide for November. “The current fuel queues in some major cities across the country have nothing to do with the lack of supply of petroleum products,” Mr. Ezeala said while providing update on the current fuel supply situation in the country. “I can assure Nigerians that we have enough stock of petroleum products to satisfy the nation’s domestic consumption requirement,” he said.
Mr. Ezeala announced a number of extra measures adopted by the corporation to check the queues that have been developing at most filling stations in Abuja and environs.
He said the PPMC has increased the volume of petroleum products being transported to fuel stations across major cities in the country. To ensure that the products are available to consumers, the director said most of the 37 retail mega stations owned by NNPC across the country have been directed to commence 24-hour service. “NNPC Retail has 513 retail outlets all over the country; and the strategy is that every one of these stations is designed to have products at all times. But, in addition we have decided that most of the mega stations will adopt 24 hours operation model. “Where for security reasons that arrangement cannot be met, we are going to have extended hours of operation in such locations starting from 5 a.m. till about 10 p.m. daily,” he said.

On NNPC Retail operations, Oladipo Fagbola, saidthat apart from the 24-hour service, the corporation has opened some hotlines to enable members of the public provide useful feedback and intelligence on the operations of mega and affiliate filling stations across the country.

The hotlines include: 08057008021, 08052195801 and08100941174.

He urged members of the public to provide usefulinformation to assist the corporation achieve its mandate and responsibility to the fuel consumers.

I did not steal from Nigeria - Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has said she did not use her position to steal Nigeria’s money. Alison-Maduekwe, who looked frail told the Publisher of Ovation Magazine and The Boss Newspaper, Dele Momodu, said she performed her duties to the best of her knowledge and abilities.
Alison-Madueke was recently arrested by officials of the National Crime Agency, United Kingdom over suspected money laundering activities.The former minister had been alleged to have used her position as minister to steal billions of naira from the country’s coffers.
In June 2008, Alison-Madueke was subject to a Senate probe after it emerged that as Transport Minister she had paid N30.9bn ($263m) to contractors between December 26 and 31, 2007. She is said to be worth over N1bn. However, she has never been officially charged or tried for these allegations and has strongly denied any wrongdoing. She was alleged to have spent billions of dollars inappropriately on private jets and responsible for some missing $20bn.