News

N52bn SWP Fund: Atiku’s Aide, Keyamo Bicker Over Asset Declaration

Published

1 month ago

April 24, 2023

The Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, Mr Phrank Shaibu, has asked the National Assembly to make public the report of its investigation into the N52bn Special Works Programme implemented by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, across the 774 local governments areas of the country.

Shaibu made the demand in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, in response to claims that Keyamo acquired a house in the United States valued at over $302,000.

But Keyamo in a swift reaction said he had declared his assets, asking those in doubt to contact relevant government agencies.

Keyamo told Vanguard that he is in support of Nigerians scrutinising public officers and encouraged Shaibu to compel relevant government organs to release his assets declaration form.

His words: “Any Nigerian for that matter who wishes to know anything about any public officer, including myself, is very much welcome to compel the relevant Government organs to release any document.

“It is very patriotic to do so. I wholeheartedly encourage any Nigerian to do so. They can also ask for my Assets Declaration before I became Minister.

“I am excited to see these inquiries. Maybe they think you have to show flashy cars and jewelleries and designers’ items and expensive wristwatches for people to rate you. They are very much welcome.”

Going down memory lane, Shaibu recalled that in 2021, the Federal Government had in a bid to ameliorate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, approved the sum of N52bn for the hiring of 774,000 Nigerians across all the local government areas in the country for three months.

The 774,000 Nigerians were hired to take on menial jobs such as clearing of drainages, sweeping of markets, cutting grasses and other community services.

He said: “Keyamo had specifically orchestrated the sacking of the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Nasiru Argungu, insisting that he was in charge of the N52bn project which the National Assembly noted was a flop.

“Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had stated that many of the beneficiaries of the funds did not get anything, while others who got did not do any job. They, therefore, questioned Keyamo’s running of the programme and promised to launch an investigation into the matter.”

Shaibu further said: “The National Assembly had described the special works programme as a sham and also questioned how the funds were spent. Keyamo had, for the last two years, defended the shambolic implementation of the programme.”

“With his open confession that he has acquired houses in the US, I hereby call on the National Assembly to publish its report on the failed project. I also call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to immediately probe the finances of Festus Keyamo, who only became a senior advocate two years before becoming a minister.

“It is public record that Keyamo was an activist and a prosecutor for the EFCC, doing mostly pro bono cases before taking public office. However, he now boasts of being a real estate mogul after becoming a minister. This is laughable and an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians.

“In any case, Keyamo’s time as Minister of State for Labour and Employment witnessed the highest level of unemployment, which KPMG says is about to hit 40%. Under Keyamo, universities also witnessed prolonged strikes, as ASUU proceeded on 10 months strike in 2020 and eight months industrial action in 2021. Keyamo clearly failed as a minister but grew wealthier in the process through his so-called real estate business. He thus needs to be investigated with immediate effect.”

Keyamo had said that by letters dated March 6, 2019, before he was appointed a Minister, he wrote to the relevant government agencies, informing them of the closure of his foreign accounts and the repatriation of his funds to the country since Nigerian law does not allow public officials to operate foreign bank accounts.

He further stated, ‘My assets declaration is there for all to see. Some of us don’t need government funds or patronage to get by. Whatever we do and whoever we support is out of our deep convictions.’

Shaibu, however, dared Keyamo to publish his asset declaration form as submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau in 2019.

“He said since Keyamo had boasted many times about being an EFCC prosecutor and an anti-corruption champion, he ought to be bold enough to make his asset declaration forms public to prove that he was telling the truth.

“Keyamo has one month left on his tenure as minister, which means he will need to declare his assets before the CCB next month. Let him make public his asset declaration forms, before and after office, to prove to Nigerians that he did not steal.

“The truth about Keyamo is that he is a hypocrite, a rabble-rouser who pretends to be on the side of the masses but is only after his stomach.

“He started as a disciple of the great Gani Fawehinmi but has since strayed from Gani’s ideals by serving as Spokesman for a man who was an anathema to Gani and who Gani had accused of forgery and fraud – Bola Tinubu.”

News

After Meeting Tinubu, Oil Marketers Declare Support For Fuel Subsidy Removal

Published

8 hours ago

June 7, 2023

Editor

The Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) on Wednesday in Abuja pledged its support for the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy.

The association’s chairperson, Dame Winifred Akpani, made the disclosure at the end of a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

She said the association would also support the government’s palliative measures by providing between 50 and 100 mass transit buses.

Akpani said the buses would be locally manufactured and would use Compressed Natural Gas as fuel.

“We pledge our support for President Tinubu in the bold decision of removing petrol subsidy. It is an idea that was long overdue.

“Removal of subsidy is not about making fuel costly and taking it out of the reach of Nigerians. It is about getting it right on the real issue of petroleum product subsidy.

“Who are those enjoying the subsidy? The subsidy ends up being enjoyed by those it was not meant for.

“We also spoke to the president about substitutes to petrol as well as creating an environment conducive for investments to thrive in the oil sector,’’ she said.

Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, who led the DAPPMAN delegation, described the subsidy removal as a bold step that portended positive growth for the economy.

He said fuel subsidy withdrawal was a clear indication of Tinubu’s readiness to address the challenges of the oil and gas sector.

“Subsidy has become a N4 trillion per annum issue and its removal will release more funds for economic development.

“Subsidy removal will unleash the potential of Nigeria because it will open up a lot of resources for the development of other sectors of the economy.

“The National Economic Council will soon begin sitting to propose interventions on the subsidy removal.

“The interventions will definitely be a long-lasting solution to the effect of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians,’’ Abiodun said.

News

ASUU: Ngige Blasts House Chairman On Tertiary Education

Published

8 hours ago

June 7, 2023

Editor

Abuja: Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has blasted the House Committee on Tertiary Education, Aminu Goro, for alleged fabrications, outright lies and unwarranted attacks on the floor of the House, towards political gains, saying there was no plan to proscribe the Academic staff union of Universities, ASUU.

Ngige who expressed shock by the lawmaker’s outburst, urged the outgoing House of Representative member to go back and read the Trade Union Act, (2004) and not to rubbish other persons for political survival.

The former minister in a statement from his Media Office, among others, said “The Minister of Labour does not need Presidential approval to withdraw certificates of registration of Trade Unions. The Trade Union Act 2004 permits the Registrar of Trade Unions to cancel a certificate suo moto in Section 7 especially as ASUU had breached Section 3 on the annual rendition of Audited Accounts. ASUU was in default for five years.

“Another Section of Trade Dispute Act; The Essential Services Act Cap T9 permits the President to proscribe any erring Union involved in an illegal strike but all through the 2022 ASUU strike neither the President nor any of his Ministers in Education or Labour mooted such an idea because the Minister of Labour and Employment has done the right thing by the transmission of an Instrument on the issue to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication in accordance with Section 17 of TDA. 2004. So former President Buhari and his officials chose the path of the rule of Law in dealing with the unending strike when conciliation failed instead of an arm-twisting proscription as alleged by Aminu Goro.

“Aminu’s cock and bull narrative aimed at sweetening the ears of the audience including fellow outgoing members at the expense of other patriotic Nigerians including the former President should be discouraged by all including the outgoing Speaker. No such incident ever happened on the Executive side and hence the painted scenario never took place at all. This is by no means to say that the Outgoing Speaker and Chief of Staff designates to the President did not contribute to the resolution of the issue with ASUU. He did and passionately too like many others on the government side and the Traditional and Religious leaders. But the ultimate solution and relief came from the Judiciary. Judges of both the NICN and the Court of Appeal who interpreted the relevant sections of the Trade Dispute Act 2004 without fear or favour and ordered ASUU back to the classroom.”

He added that ASUU violated section 37 of the Trade Unions Acts CAP T14 that required the registered trade unions to submit their annual audited accounts and financial returns to the Registrar of Trade Unions on or before 1st June every year. Section 7 of the Acts gives the Registrar the power to cancel the certificate of registration of any trade union that deliberately contravened or continue to contravene any provision of the Act after receipt of a warning in writing from the Registrar.

“Warning in writing was duly issued to ASUU in 2019 and 2021 but deliberately and in order to leave them with a window for peaceful resolution this right was not exercise.”

News

Ex-Ogun NNPP Chairman, In Police Net Over Alleged Fraud

Published

9 hours ago

June 7, 2023

Editor

The embattled former Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), in Ogun State chapter, Olaposi Sunday Oginni, has been arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force.

It was gathered that Oginni was arrested over allegations bordering on financial misappropriation, fraud, money laundering, among others.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the Oginni was arrested on Tuesday in Abeokuta, by a team of police detectives from Force Headquarters in Abuja.

Oginni was detained at Lafenwa Police Station, Abeokuta, before he was later whisked away to Police Headquarters, Abuja on Wednesday.

Oginni’s arrest followed a petition sent to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, by E.A Igwe & Co on behalf of the board of trustees and members of the party.

The petition with Ref EAV/MISC/05/1992/2023, was dated May 20, 2023 and titled “Call for the arrest of the culprits and to subject them to the full wrath of the law”.

The petitioner noted that the main culprit was guilty of money laundering.

The petition reads, “It is our further information that the culprits are also guilty of gunrunning, which most of them used during the just concluded election in some states, including Ogun. We are informed by our clients, and we verily believe same that the relevant facts-in-issue are as stated hereunder for your perusal.

“It is our instruction that these culprits are hell-bent and had conspired amongst themselves to deliberately destabilize and frustrate the activities of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) at the party secretariat situate and lying at No. 11 Mahatma Gandhi Street, Area 11, Garki Abuja for no justifiable reason save to project their evil plot by attacking the party secretariat.

“The main culprit is guilty of money laundering charges and will not stop in such a boastful act unless arrested and subjected to the full wrath of the law. It is our further information that the culprits are also guilty of gunrunning, which most of them used during the just concluded election in some states including Ogun State. The culprits are also fingered to be financing terrorism contrary to Section 25 of the Money Laundering Act”.

Confirming the arrest of Oginni, the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, noted that a team of investigators came from Abuja on investigation activities and arrested the former NNPP chairman over unlawful possession.

She added that Oginni was detained in Lafenwa division and was taken to Abuja early this morning.

“A team of investigators came from Abuja Command on investigation activities and arrested the person you are asking about for unlawful possession. He was detained in Lafenwa division, and early in the morning, the suspect was taken to Abuja. The command did not arrest him, but detectives from Abuja Command, Lafenwa was the division where he was detained,” Odutola added.