News

Stolen Crude: Group Protests, Says Reps Panel Lacks Transparency

Published

1 year ago

April 11, 2023

A group, the George Uboh Whistleblowers Network, on Tuesday, stormed the National Assembly to demand transparency from the House of Representatives panel, set up to look into the 48 million barrels of oil that were illegally sold in China.

The group, led by one Peter Umoh, which described itself as a civil society organisation with the mandate to fight corruption, carried banners and placards with inscriptions denouncing the setting up of the ad-hoc committee by the lower chamber when the crime, according to them, is already being litigated against in the court of law.

The House of Representatives had in December 2022, resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate a whistleblower’s claims that 48 million barrels of Bonny Light crude were illegally sold in China in 2015, as well as the insurance status of the cargo.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by Ibrahim Isiaka, a member of the house.

In the motion, Isiaka said, “The house is aware of allegations by a whistleblower in July 2020 that he had in July 2015 and in response to the current administration’s whistleblower policy brought to the attention of a committee purportedly set up by the President for the recovery of missing crude oil exports, the existence of 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude oil in storage at several ports in China ostensibly under the authorisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the intention of parties in China and the NNPC to sell this cargo.”

Following the motion, an ad-hoc committee was set up and chaired by Mark Gbillah, the Deputy Chairman House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) at the House of Representatives.

The angry protesters, however, accused the ad-hoc committee of a lack of proper investigation as various processes were boycotted.

He said as whistleblowers, they blew open the stolen crude oil and illegal sales in China to Gbillah and Nigerians generally.

Gbillah, he added, rather than carry them along in the planned investigation, decided to do it alone, raising suspicion on vested interest.

Umoh said, “The whistleblowers who furnished Hon Mark Gbillah the information germane to the 48 million barrels of crude oil stolen did not file any petition to the National Assembly for any investigation or hearing, neither were they called as witnesses to testify during the hearing.

“Because Gbillah did not follow this sacrosanct due process, the purported public hearing by the ad – hoc committee is a sham predicated on unilateral action driven by greed.

“Therefore, we, the whistleblowers at this protest, authoritatively assert that the National Assembly does not hear or deliberate on any matter in court.”

Umoh added, “Two different competent courts of jurisdictions, are already handling the case filed against the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari to account for proceeds from the stolen crude oil which are roughly estimated to be $2.4billion at $50 per barrel and $4.8billion at $100per barrel.

” Hon Gbillah led ad – hoc committee of the House of Representatives should therefore hand off the matter by not sitting or carrying out any public hearing on it.”

When told that the ad-hoc committee was not set up by Hon Gbillah himself but by the leadership of the House of Representatives, he said the protest was staged for the leadership to know the futility of its action on the committee.
PUNCH

News

Multichoice Hikes DStv, GOtv Prices

Published

17 mins ago

April 24, 2024

Editor

Broadcasting company Multichoice has jacked up the prices of its offerings in Nigeria four months after its last increment.

The company reviewed prices in its packages across the board. The new prices will take effect from May 1, 2024.

With the latest price hike, the DStv Premium package increased from N29,500 to N37,000. Similarly, the DStv Compact+ gone up N19,800 to N25,000 while the Compact package increased from N12,500 to N15,700.

The Comfam package moved from N7,400 to N9,300. Yanga package moved up from 4,200 to N5,100 while Padi package increased from N2,950 to N3,600. HDPVR was increased from N4,000 to N5,000, the Access Fees package from N4,000 to N5,000, and XtraView moved from N4,000 to N5,000.

Meanwhile, the Gotv Supa+ package moved from N12,500 to N15,700, Supa package from N7,600 to N9,600, and Max package from N5,700 to N7,200.

While the Jolli package was jacked up from N3,950 to N4,850, the Jinja package moved from N2,700 to N3,300, and Smallie package from N1,300 to N1,575.

The company implemented an upward review of prices in December 2023, days after announcing a $72m loss in its financial statement for the third quarter of the year.

Checks on the company’s reviewed price list then showed a 20 per cent per cent hike in the company’s packages across the board.

News

PSR: PIND Foundation Seeks Feedback from Niger Delta Residents, Stakeholders

Published

2 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Editor

The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) is seeking feedback from residents and stakeholders of the region for its 2024 Participatory Strategic Review (PSR). Operating in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region for over 14 years, PIND is dedicated to improving the lives and livelihoods of its people.

As an organization, PIND aims to enhance income, promote best farming practices, equip youth with market-relevant skills, provide energy to coastal communities, and restore peace in conflict-ridden areas of the region.

To date, PIND has invested over NGN 93 billion, sourced from the region’s government, donor agencies, and the private sector. Their interventions have reached over 1,057,706 farmers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with information on best farming practices, access to inputs, and technological innovations.

Moreover, 5,787 businesses and households can now access renewable energy through PIND’s initiatives. Over 26,387 community users of PIND-facilitated renewable energy solutions have saved NGN 1.03 billion, and 8,336 young people have gained market-relevant skills in emerging growth sectors.

All these achievements are a result of feedback from partners, stakeholders, and the public, which helps PIND design effective interventions and programs. A statement from PIND’s communications department emphasized that this feedback ensures the organization reaches the communities in the Niger Delta region that genuinely need their support.

“Every five years, PIND develops a strategic plan informed by a Participatory Strategic Review (PSR) of their work. The PSR assesses the effectiveness of developmental strategies and approaches, informing new strategic directions and identifying opportunities for continued effectiveness and relevance of PIND’s work in the Niger Delta,” the statement reads.

To share your voice and opinions, the organization encourages you to fill out this form: https://bit.ly/PINDPSR. This online survey will help them gather insights for potential partnerships, collaborations, interventions, and investment opportunities for the next five years (2025 – 2029).

We invite you to provide feedback on their impact in the region and suggestions on how their work can further benefit and enhance the lives and livelihoods of Niger Deltans.

News

JUST IN: Wike’s Loyalist Rejects Fubara’s Redeployment, Resigns As Rivers Commissioner

Published

2 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Editor

The Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zaccaeus Adangor, SAN has rejected his redeployment to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office), and consequently resigned from the State Executive Council.

Adangor’s resignation came barely 24 hours after the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, redeployed him in a minor cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday.

Fubara, in a letter issued on Tuesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, redeployed Adangor alongside the State Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, who himself was moved to the Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment.

Letter by the commissioner
Adangor and Kamalu, as well as seven other commissioners who had previously resigned from Fubara’s cabinet in the heat of the political crisis that rocked the state, are loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Adangor’s resignation was contained in a letter he personally signed, dated April 24 and addressed to the SSG on Wednesday and obtained by The PUNCH correspondent.

The letter was titled, “Cabinet Reshufflement: Notice of Rejection of Deployment and Resignation from the Rivers State Executive Council.”

Adangor accused Fubara of willfully interfering with the performance of his duties as Commissioner.

He further said the governor had in the last few weeks directed him not to defend, oppose, or appear in suits instituted against his office and the Government of Rivers State by persons admittedly hired and sponsored by the Government of Rivers State.

The six-point letter reads, “My attention has been drawn to your letter dated April 23, 2024, and widely circulated on social media whereby I was “deployed to the ministry of special duties (governor’s office).

Letter by the commissioner

“Further to the referenced letter, I hereby give you notice of my rejection of the said deployment and resignation from the Rivers State Executive Council with effect from the 24th day of April 2024.

“I wish to state for the record that I am no longer willing to continue to serve in the administration of His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, in any capacity whatsoever.

“It is important to mention that the Governor of Rivers State had in the past couple of weeks willfully interfered with the performance of my duties as the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State, by directing me not to defend, oppose, or appear in suits instituted against the Honourable Attorney-General and the Government of Rivers State by persons admittedly hired and sponsored by the Government of Rivers State.

“Having served the Government and good people of Rivers State dutifully as a member of the Rivers State Executive Council for the past five years, it has become imperative for me to quit the administration in order to preserve my reputation.

“I wish the administration of His Excellency well.”