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More shocking corruption reports says govt



yohaig.ngRitics of the Muhammadu Buhari administration's anti-corruption campaign yesterday got a response - no intimidation or blackmail will prevent the war.

Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed said Nigerians should be ready for more mind boggling revelations in the 2015 and 2014 report, which is yet to be released.

The minister said the advice he provided to understand whether it was authentic or not should be investigated by them, for those questioning the allegations.

"Let's talk more in regards to the cost of corruption. Have you ever discovered that whereas the national budget in Nigeria has grown from just over N900 billion in 1999 to finished N6 trillion in 2016, poverty has additionally grown nearly by exactly the same proportion? The reason isn't far fetched: Appropriated funds have mostly ended up in the pockets of a few looters."

He added: "Do you know that what's so far been shown as per taking in the Dasukigate is about N54.8billion Whereas, in the whole 2015 all the zonal intervention act cost N52 billion. This is the expense of corruption for you.

The final result is that the roads will not be built and the people suffer as well as die in road mishaps that are avoidable when the money supposed to build roads is looted. We are perpetually sentenced to darkness, when the money intended to supply electricity is looted. We are not able to reduce infant and maternal mortality when a few pocket the money meant for health care. These really are the costs of corruption. Let's not only discuss corruption in the abstract, let us be counting its cost to our own lives to be able to drive home the point that corruption must be handled decisively for Nigerians to feel the impact of government."

Mohammed spoke of two courts of corruption - the court of public opinion and also the court of law. "The court of public opinion is also as significant as the court of law," he said.

Mohammed raised the alarm that treasury looters had resorted to fighting back, using various means.

However he assured the country that the government is not going to give in to their own distractions.

The government, he said, has achieved what it set out to reach, which will be to sensitise Nigerians to the evil of corruption.

He explained: "Well, I can tell you today that corruption has already been fighting back, which is fighting hard and dirty. Sponsored articles have begun appearing in the newspapers and in the social media while 'Talking Heads' have started making the rounds in the electronic media, all deriding the struggle against corruption as good as this Government. Not stopping there, they've been creating distractions by sponsoring posts in both local and international media label the President a budding authoritarian, to deride the Administration's policies normally and also write off his 2016 budget. We understand that the only goal of the assaults would be to deflect attention from your war on corruption.

"It's saddening that some otherwise credible voices have unwittingly let themselves to be railroaded to the bandwagon of pro-corruption orchestra. They engage in sophistry to try and drum up Nigerians against the anti-corruption battle. One hack writer said the disclosure that 55 Nigerians allegedly stole N1.34 trillion between 2006 and 2013 didn't activate any anger among Nigerians! A disclosure that played extensively in the international media made the front page in over a dozen Nigerian newspapers and attracted the attention of the world's strongest country and world-wide financial institutions are unable to be dismissed with a wave of the hand.

"Also, one of people who gained from the Dasukigate even had the temerity to deride the anti-corruption war as 'discerning', when in saner climes he should happen to be so ashamed of himself that he could have apologised to the country and hunkered down...for good. These sponsored assaults are not about to quit. In reality, they will become more organized and more extreme in the days ahead. But the good thing is the fact that we're winning the war. Nigerians are actually talking about corruption. Nigerians are currently counting the cost of corruption to their own lives.

"We call on Nigerians not to be taken in from the antics of the sponsored denunciation of the anti-graft war. The treasury looters, who have so much resources in their pot, as well as their cohorts will throw everything but the kitchen sink only at that Government, But we have no doubt that Nigerians are discerning enough to be aware of the truth which, in the words of President Muhammadu Buhari, is that unless Nigeria kills corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.

"This Government will neither be deflected nor intimidated by anyone into giving up or weakening the struggle against corruption, which will be a war of survival for our nation. The fight will not be stopped by any quantity of media or alternative attacks. The pseudo-analyzers and hack writers will labour in vain in heir quest to stop the train of this anti-corruption fight."

The minister said the information on corruption was meant to sensitise the state on the evil of corruption.

"Let me restate, for emphasis, that when we give examples of mind-boggling acts of corruption, our objective is not to vilify anyone but to sensitise Nigerians as to how dangerous corruption is to the country and also the people. The truth is that what we've shown so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Nigerians should stay tuned for more shocking disclosures in the days ahead."

On the aspects he gave on alleged treasury looters didn't include 1999-2005, he explained that the compilation covered only periods when the anti-corruption law became completely functional and that was around 2006.

The minister said by the time the details of 2015 and 2014 are released, the state will probably be shocked.

His words: "When we make following revelations, you will be more shocked than you are now."

He also decried the scenario where it takes about seven or maybe more years to prosecute the "so-called strong" people.

On the function of the judiciary in the fight against corruption, the minister reiterated his earlier appeal that both Bench and the Bar should start to see the struggle as a national campaign.

He explained " and I could ensure you that we have made a demo And Also the judiciary is willing and able to join forces with us. So we realize that judiciary is extremely important, and we're reaching out to them, we're appealing to them to also understand that there are some structural reforms that require to take place and they are being worked to by us.

The government was criticized for trampling on the rights of accused people or disobeying court orders. Mohammed disagreed.

He said: "What are we even talking about? Is the human right of the 55 individuals more important than human rights of 170 Nigerians? But again, I would like to make it clear that we do not disobey court orders".

He explained the easiest method will be to proceed to the court or the EFCC to find out who they're as they have one pending case or the other in the court when prodded to offer info on the 55 individuals.

"On our own part also, we make sure that as soon as the management of legal justice is actualised, it's going to cut down the period of time it takes now to prosecute a case because under that law, I think the most time allowed for adjournment is two."


Nigeria: New Nigerian Publishes Special Edition in Sardauna's Memory

The New Nigerian Newspapers (NNN) Ltd, publishers of the New Nigerian group of papers, released a special edition Friday in memory of its own founder, the late Premier of Northern Nigeria and Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello who died on January 15, 1966; just two weeks after creating the paper on January 1, 1966. Is the lead headline, In Memoriam, with the rider, 50th Commemoration of the defunct northern Area Sir Ahmadu Bello of the passing of Premier; with a big picture of the hero in his trademark dress.

Substantially as the management and staff of the NNN made a statement of honouring the legendary creator of the paper by coming up with all the special variant, their expectations from current leaders of the North were cut short. Recently, the 50th commemoration of the passing on of the late Sardauna was held from the North in section and attendance of the programme with distinguished personalities in Arewa House in Kaduna was the introduction of some variations of the New Nigerian published for the occasion. The idea was to raise money for NNN to commence operations.



ogenwaozuzu.comAnd so, about three hundred copies of NNN edition were rolled out. However, the result was not the original intention as the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai just enjoined folks to purchase the special publication, saying that it's details of times and the late Sardauna's life. Daily Times Trust on Sunday thus assembled that the copies sold in the event were not up to 40 (at N300 each), while the remaining copies were distributed to the sellers.

It could be recalled the workers of NNN stopped creation following the inability of the direction to continue paying their wages. Workers were owed several months of salaries and other entitlements and the explanation for the default was said to be operational insolvency. Since that time, there have been continued efforts to revitalize the business to no avail. First, two variants: New Nigerian Weekly and New Nigerian on Sunday were suspended. The daily edition was printing less than 2,000 copies.

Additionally, the management removed some 'redundant' staff but did not pay them their benefits. Now, Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that stop of work and the months of unpaid salaries impacted negatively on the staff. Later on, the Joint Workers Consultative Union of the New Nigerian Paper (NNN), Kaduna called off the 31-month strike which started on January 22, 2013. A statement to that effect was signed by Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir, Chairman NNN Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Bulus Shabayan, Chairman National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW) NNN Chapel. The workers said they'd resolved to resume responsibility. But upon the management as well as the workers not supplied resumption of responsibility, materials for work managed to commence online publication. And because NNN was clearly one of the foremost heritages of the late Sardauna and the responsibility of the 19-state Northern governments, attempts were made by the workers and management to re launch it to businesses during the 50th commemoration of his death. But the move had not been successful.

One of the workers of NNN who spoke to Daily Trust said now the move to raise capital for NNN at the 50th commemoration of Sardauna's death has failed, it'll be back to status quo along with the struggle will continue. He explained the claims and counterclaims between the workers and also the workers and between the direction and the 19 Northern authorities may also continue. According to him, if any service project its interest and related to Sardauna cannot give the attention that was required to NNN and needs, he wondered what else can. On whether the governors and dignitaries understood they were to raise cash on the occasion for NNN, he said because it absolutely was in the programme, they ought to have understood.


Nigeria: Press awash with Buhari's holiday, trial of senate president, airline takeover



nigeriansocialnetwork.1.gif" style="max-width:400px;float:left;padding:10px 10px 10px 0px;border:0px;"></a>The five days holiday taken by President Muhammadu Buhari, Supreme Court's nod for the trial of senate president as well as the state takeover of Aero Contractor airline directed many Nigerian newspapers on Saturday.National Mirror explained that eight months after he took over power from former President Goodluck Jonathan on May 29, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday continued on vacation.

It said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would do the functions of the President.

State is excited the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Friday got the green light from the Supreme Court to carry on using the 13-count false strength statement charge brought against Senate President Bukola Saraki from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

This Day reported that the premise of total ownership of Aero Contractors, a superior airline in Nigeria, WOn't change its flight operations, as Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), takes within the airline because of debt.

Vanguard said President Buhari has shown that his administration has within three months saved N2.2 trillion for the state through the enforcement of the Treasury Single Account, TSA.

As problems of inferior power supply, lack of facilities, surplus billings, dearth of care and others persist Guardian said, Nigerians have questioned the reasoning supporting the increase in electricity tariff.



yohaig.ngDaily Independent said Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, will hold a combined meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and top executives of Electricity Distribution Companies next week to avert the planned picketing of the Discos by members of the NLC.

As they participated the vandals who have been armed to the teeth, the Sun reported that five military personnel deployed to checkmate conduit~line vandals at Abule area of Ikorodu, Lagos State were killed in the early hours of Friday.