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Fight Against Corruption: Transparency International, FG Trade Words

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The Federal Government and Transparency International, TI, have continued in their disagreements over the state of the war on corruption in Nigeria as they trade tackles during an anti-corruption radio programme in Abuja this Wednesday.

The international anti-corruption watchdog recently faulted Nigeria’s war against corruption and again scored her low in the 2020 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (TI-CPI), describing it as inaccurate and unreal.

Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari On Public Affairs, Ajuri Ngelale and Samuel Asimi, Programme Officer Anti-corruption at CISLAC, which houses the Nigerian chapter of TI, disagreed on issues of nepotism, transparency, and rules of engagement in the FG’s fight against corruption.

They both were guests on the popular radio programme, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE produced by the Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development, PRIMORG, Wednesday in Abuja.

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While dismissing the 2020 CPI rating, Ngelale said that perception is different from reality, noting that prioritizing corruption perception of a country over realities on ground was a problem.

He acknowledged that Nigeria has more work to do in the war against corruption, but has progressed under President Buhari’s leadership.

Responding to allegations of lack of transparency in the emergency response of the government to COVID-19, nepotism, and favoritism in the appointment and promotion of some public officers, Ngelale said, “I want to deal with facts and not emotions or perceptions.

“When President Buhari took over office, it was then the full list implementation of Treasury Single Account was put in place, and we have seen the result of that.

“Look at EFCC and what they have recovered in a ten-year period from 2009-2019, the EFCC recovered about N1.28 trillion and it is does not include dollars or Euros recoveries, properties, and physical assets, only naira recoveries. Now, out of that N1.28 trillion that was recovered by the EFCC between 2009-2015 which is six years’ period, less than 300 billion was recovered from 2015-2019.

READ ALSO: IOM Facilitates Return Of Over 21,000 Nigerians Stranded Abroad

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“Right now, over five thousand Nigerians are being paid their salaries directly by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the survival funds, N300 billion CBN COVID-19 loan, and this administration leveraged on ICT on N-Power.

“I think anybody saying that we have not been transparent is a general misinformation,” Ngelale said.

He decried that Nigerians focus more on the Federal Government, whereas a lot more anomalies go on at the state level.

Ngelale also questioned the credibility of Transparency International, alleging that one of the founders of the organization ran for Presidency against Buhari in 2015, hence cannot be trusted.

Firing back at Ngelale, Programme Officer Anti-corruption at CISLAC, Samuel Asimi debunked any form of political interference or influence in the ratings churned out by Transparency International on a yearly basis.

He, however, noted that CPI does not measure only corruption at the Federal Government level but also at the states, adding that CPI ratings was not targeted at trivializing the efforts of the government on anti-corruption war.

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On the issues of lack of transparency by the Buhari’s administration, Asimi stated that the Federal Government still do not have a dedicated and known database to track recovered assets, stressing that transparency and accountability will increase if only the government provid a portal where citizens can view stolen assets recovered by the government.

“If there’s a portal that citizens can go straight and get information about recovered monies, the doubt in government processes will reduce drastically.”

READ ALSO: FG Raises Alarm Over Fake COVID-19 Vaccine From China

Asimi maintained that nepotism was a major problem of the Buhari-led government and remained one of the reasons why Nigeria dropped on the 2020 Corruption Perception Index.

He added that besides nepotism, inadequate anti-corruption legal frameworks and interference in the operation of law enforcement agencies; prevalence of bribery and extortion in the Nigerian Police; security sector corruption; and absence of transparency in the COVID-19 pandemic were some of the main reasons Transparency International rated Nigeria low in 2020.

He called on the Buhari-led government and the National Assembly to enact a legal framework for the management of recovered stolen assets, as well as ensure that anti-corruption agencies are fully independent and work in synergy.

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Recall that Nigeria was ranked 149th out of 180 nations surveyed when Transparency International released its 2020 Corruption Perception Index. And similarly, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), a subsidiary of Transparency International accused the Buhari-lead administration of lack of transparency in the recovery of stolen assets.

(VANGUARD)

 

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Man, 38 Escapes Assassination Attempt In Benin

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Innocent Omoruyi

By Omokha Andrew

A 38-year-old activist, Innocent Omoruyi, narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023 as his residence at Obe Community,Sapele Road in Benin city was attacked by yet to be identified gun men.

The attack which eye witnesses say was viciously executed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 bore the markings of a dreaded cult group terrorizing Benin City, the state capital.

The Obe, Sapale Road incident, it was learnt, happened soon after Omoruyi left the house to attend to matters of interest some few metres away from his home.

The assailants were said to have shot sporadically in their frustration as residents scampered for safety.

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However, Omoruyi escaped unharmed.

One of the eye witnesses who craved anonymity said: “The felons apparently went for the kill, weilding guns and other dangerous weapons. “We are shocked that they didn’t see Innocent Omoruyi who was just some few metres away from home when they arrived”.

“How that happened, only God knows and it was obvious that it wasn’t his time to die yet and just before that not long ago his business place on Lagos Street, Benin City was burnt down in the middle of the night by unknown arsonists.

“This sequence of events is not ordinary. We know it’s politically motivated due to the role he played in the last general elections. He has been advised to go into hiding at the moment for his personal safety”, he concluded.

When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to get any information as regards the latest incident. He promised to feed our correspondent with relevant details as soon as they become handy.

Our information source however revealed that the matter has already been incidented at the Love World Police station on Sapele Road, Benin city.

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Nigeria To Earn Over $4bn Revenue As FEC Okays Concession Of Abuja, Kano Airports

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Nigeria will earn over $4 billion in nominal revenue as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday okayed the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, a Luxembourg-based company.

James Odaudu, the Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, the Council also approved that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would be renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace.

READ ALSO: ATMs To Be Upgraded For Loans Services As CBN Gives Banks Ultimatum…

The statement noted that the company would make combined upfront payments of $8.5 million for the concession of NAIA and MAKIA.

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He added that the development would spur evidential growth within the Nigerian aviation industry.

In alignment with the Aviation Roadmap, approved by Mr President on 18th October 2016, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is delighted to inform all stakeholders, both local and international, and the media, that the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano has been approved by the Federal Executive Council,” the statement said.

READ ALSO: Peter Obi, LP Must Pay N1.5million To Access Documents – INEC

In December 2022 and January 2023, Corporacion American Airport Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder for the airport’s concession after scaling through a series of evaluations of technical and financial bids.

Nominal revenues mean income not adjusted for inflation and decreasing purchasing power.

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Russia Expelled From Council Of Europe Amid War With Ukraine

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The Council of Europe says it has expelled Russia with immediate effect after 26 years of membership because of the Ukraine war.

The Committee of Ministers took the decision in a special session, the rights body announced in the French city of Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Earlier, Russia had already declared its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after it had taken steps to exclude it.

On Tuesday evening, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously in favour of Russia’s exclusion.

Russia joined the Council of Europe on Feb. 28, 1996.

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Together with the formal notification of the withdrawal, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe also received information from the Russian Federation on Tuesday about its intention to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the leaders of the Council of Europe once again condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

READ ALSO: Ukraine: Horror As Russian Forces Shoot People Queuing For Bread

They expressed their solidarity with the Russian people, who continue to belong to the European family and share its values.

The body said it would continue to stand by Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor.

The Council of Europe monitors the observance of human rights in its 46 member states and is not part of the European Union.

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The body reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago by suspending Russia’s membership, this decision was considered historic.

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