Gov. Bello ordered arrest of teachers during screening in goverment house.

The Kogi state Governor ordered the arrest of some primary school teachers during the ongoing screening taking place inside government house today. The primary school teachers were arrested at about 6pm this evening. Independent source revealed that they were arrested on the order of the governor after the screening committee accused them of making withdraws with their ATM outside the state. One of the victim is accused of making withdraw in Abeokuta. One now wonder if it's now illegal to make use of one's ATM in another state other than the state where your salary account is domiceled. Information revealed they are still being held at the police station up till this moment. Just last week, a lecture at the college of tecnical Kabba was qually arrested and had to pay over twenty thousand naira for his freedom.

More details coming your way.

Exclusive Video: Gov. Bello Aide Abdulmalik unable to defend $12Million car loan, embarrasses self.

Exclusive Video: Gov. Bello Aide Abdulmalik unable to defend $12Million car loan, embarrasses self. Watch video here

GOV. BELLO ENDLESS WORKERS SCREENING LED WOMAN TO HER UNTIMELY DEATH.

THE WOMAN WHOSE CORPSE IS BEING LIFTED ABOVE WAS A TEACHER IN KOGI STATE, SHE DIED IN A ROAD ACCIDENT ALONG LOKOJA ROAD. SHE WAS AMONG THOSE WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE RIGOROUS BELLO WORKERS SCREENING. UNTIL HER DEATH, THE SCREENING COMMITTEE STILL TAGGED HER A GHOST WORKER AND THEREFORE DENIED HER HER SALARY AND ARREARS.

RECALLED THAT LAST TWO WEEKS, CIVIL SERVANTS FROM BUKO IN OFU LOCAL GOVERNMENT GOING FOR BELO'S SCREENING HAD AN TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AND DIED AND OTHERS SUSTAINED VARIOUS DEGREE OF INJURIES.

HERE IS HAJIA SADAT PELE ,SHE IS BEING DENIED ALMOST NINE MONTHS SALARY BY KOGI STATE GOVERNMENT, SHE CAME TO LOKOJA FOR SCREENING AND DIED ON HER WAY BACK TO ANYIGBA. THE SCREENING EXERCISE IS SAID TO BE TAKING TOO LONG AND TOO MUCH FROM THE CIVIL SERVANTS WHO HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO ECONOMIC HARDSHIP EVER SINCE BELLO TOOK OVER THE STATE.
MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE. 

Group accuses ex-Appropriation chair, Jibrin, of operating foreign bank account as lawmakers duty resume tomorrow.

A group, Anti-Corruption Unit, on Sunday accused the former Chairman of House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, of running a bank account in the United Kingdom.

The group said Mr. Jibrin allegedly contravened Nigerian civil service rules which forbid elected public officeholders from operating a foreign bank account while in office.

The allegations come as the lawmakers are returning to Abuja after a two-month-long recess.

In a statement signed by its director, Ifeanyi Okonkwo, the ACU said Mr. Jibrin operated a bank account in the Channel Islands, UK.

Mr. Okonkwo emailed what appeared to be a bank account statement from Dutch banking giant, ING Group, to PREMIUM TIMES.

“Details of the account statement obtained by some lawyers in the UK show that Jibrin has a total £1.558 million pounds (N825 million equivalent) in the account between June 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016,” Mr. Okonkwo said. “Jibrin, however, withdrew the sum of £623.44 within the one month period bringing the balance in the account to £1, 376,193.84.”

But PREMIUM TIMES understands from the bank statement that the £623.44 debit was annual equivalent rate deduction and not a withdrawal.

“Jibrin opened the account with his address at 453 Crankbrook Road, Ilford Essex IG2 6EW,” Mr. Okonkwo said.

A reverse search done on the address showed that it was used by a company in which one Abdulmumin Jibrin born in September 1976 was a director until 2012.

Mr. Jibrin, the lawmaker, was born on September 9, 1976.

“Jibrin’s ownership of foreign account contravenes the provisions of the 1999 constitution which bars public officer from owning and operating foreign account,” Mr. Okonkwo said.

Mr. Okonkwo said Mr. Jibrin’s alleged ownership of the account is part of the evidence he included in a petition he planned to submit to the EFCC on Monday morning.

Mr.  Jibrin was chairman of the Appropriation Committee until July 20.

It is not immediately clear if the revelation was part of the media war over the scandal.

Mr. Jibrin did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES’ request for comment, but a message he posted on his Twitter account said the ACU allegations marked the  “latest blackmail” against him.

Buharinomics: Before Recession Leads to Depression, By Majeed Dahiru

The first place to start that spending is by restoring subsidy back to petrol. By subsidising PMS, government is subsidising production and not consumption because the commodity is the live wire of Nigeria’s production base. A resumption of subsidy on PMS will drastically cut back the rate of inflation.

The latest figures from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for the second quarter has affirmed that Nigeria’s economy is indeed in a recession having recorded negative growth in two consecutive quarters. The grim statistics indicated a decline in GDP growth rate of -0.36 percent in the first quarter to -2.06 percent in the second quarter. The Consumer Price Index also indicates the inflation rate as increasing from 16.5 percent in the first quarter to 17.1 percent by the second quarter. It was also revealed that most sectors of the economy experienced a decline in the second quarter GDP growth rate. The worse hit is the manufacturing sector which slumped to an all-time low of -1.02 percent. The financial services sector also declined by 2.8 percent and so did construction at 3.77 percent. The transport and real estate sectors declined by 6.18 percent and 2.2 percent respectively. The oil and gas sector did not fare better. As result of activities of insurgents in the oil producing region of Niger Delta, crude oil production was disrupted and output declined by 0.42 million barrels per day to 1.69 million barrels per day. Low oil production and a relatively low bench mark price of crude oil has further depleted Nigeria’s foreign reserves by 0.4 percent to $26.42 billion. Capital inflow by way of portfolio investment remains low at $647.1 million representing a record decline of 88.76 percent. The economy is further weakened by a thoroughly depreciated national currency, the naira, which currently exchanges 420 to the dollar.

The consequences of the economic recession are clearly manifested in massive unemployment and underemployment, widespread poverty and misery. Over 70 percent of Nigerians are barely existing and not living. There has been a drastic decline in the standards of living of Nigerians across board. This situation has led to a near collapse of social order as a result of moral decadence and a surging crime rate. Our country is gradually sliding into socio-economic anarchy. This current economic crisis has sparked a debate about the actual cause of the problem. The Muhammadu Buhari administration has put the blame, as usual, on PDP’s sixteen years of misrule and a wasteful style of governance. They also point to the fact that oil prices have plummeted thereby severely depleting the government’s revenue base, which is worsened by the lack of adequate savings by the Goodluck Jonathan administration during the oil boom days. A lot of people agree with this position.

However, a careful study and analysis of the situation reveals some other fundamental causative factors of the economic recession which are largely the making of the Buhari administration. The crash in oil price could not have automatically led to recession. The most far-reaching impact of low oil prices would have been a slowdown in the GDP growth of the economy as a result of the cut in spending by government. The current recession is as a result of the policy choice in some key sectors of the economy which caused a massive shock to the system, eroded investor’s confidence, pushed up the cost of production and reduced the consumer spending capacity drastically. Before “Buharinomics” takes Nigeria’s economy from recession to depression, certain steps must be taken to save the economy from total collapse. Some key policy initiatives of the Buhari administration need thorough review and, where necessary, adjustments or outright reversal may be necessary to resuscitate the near comatose economy.

TSA should be reversed immediately in all MDAs, with the exception of revenue generating agencies. The money should be returned to the deposit money banks to ease the liquidity squeeze in the financial system.

The first of such policies which should be reviewed is the total implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA). Laudable as this policy is, the hurried implementation, rather than in phases as originally conceptualised, has led to a massive shock in the financial system. With a liquidity squeeze arising from the migration of government funds into the consolidated revenue account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, deposit money banks have been left gasping for breath. Expenditure MDAs, which include universities, hospitals and armed services, are no longer able to transact businesses with ease and speed. The inability of commercial banks to support small and medium scale enterprises, coupled with the bearish business activities in the MDAs, is what has led to a decline in the growth of the GDP in the services sector. TSA should be reversed immediately in all MDAs, with the exception of revenue generating agencies. The money should be returned to the deposit money banks to ease the liquidity squeeze in the financial system.

Another policy that has pushed Nigeria’s economy into recession is the total withdrawal of subsidy from the pump price of petrol (Premium Motor Spirit, PMS). This commodity is a major input across the production processes in all sectors of the economy. From transportation to an alternative source of power, due to acute energy shortages, PMS is very key to the running and sustenance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs). The increase in the price of PMS has increased the average cost of production and a corresponding increase in the prices of goods and services in a classic case of cost push inflation. It is generally agreed by economists that the government is supposed to spend its way out of recession. The first place to start that spending is by restoring subsidy back to petrol. By subsidising PMS, government is subsidising production and not consumption because the commodity is the live wire of Nigeria’s production base. A resumption of subsidy on PMS will drastically cut back the rate of inflation.

To substantially enhance these measures, lowering taxes and granting tax holidays as incentives to investors and small business startups are highly recommended. Furthermore, tariffs on the importation of crucial industrial and manufacturing components should be lowered and, in some cases, waived all together.

The principle of fixing interest rates above inflationary rate is a practice that has compounded Nigeria’s economic problems and must be discontinued. This policy is only applicable when there is a demand pull inflation, as a result of excess cash in circulation and the tendency of consumers to spend more for less value of goods and services thereby pushing up the costs artificially. However, when experiencing a cost push inflation, as we do now, the high cost of goods and services are real and can’t be lowered, because of the high cost of production. Therefore, the reasonable thing to do in the present circumstance, is to recalibrate CBN’s monetary policy, by reducing interest rate to single digit not above five percent. The affordable lending rate will ease the pressure on businesses, lower the cost of production and help revitalise the manufacturing sector, save and create new jobs.

To substantially enhance these measures, lowering taxes and granting tax holidays as incentives to investors and small business startups are highly recommended. Furthermore, tariffs on the importation of crucial industrial and manufacturing components should be lowered and, in some cases, waived all together. These measures are some practical short term solutions to immediately pull us out of recession to a path of modest growth. The real challenge confronting our economic development as a nation can only be tackled effectively by a medium and long term strategic development master plan. We need to re-think our economy, outside the box.

KOGI NYCN HONORS POOR MALLAM, MOBILIZES FUND FOR HIM DURING KOGI @ 25 LECTURE SERIES .                        Help, reward, ovation and honor came the way of a Lokoja popular but poor man who everyone at the event described as "street patcher" he goes around the roads linking all part of Lokoja filling every potholes on Lokoja roads with sands and stones to patch the roads for easy passage of road users. Poor Mallam Sule mohammed who could hardly make a complete sentence in English was welcome to the red carpet with ovations from invited guests, award recipients, youth, journalists and every other person in the NUJ Press Centre, Lokoja today. He was honored at the event as the Kogi Ambassador of selfless service alongside His eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Mr John Obaro, Managing Director Systemspecs Ltd, the developer of the legendary REMITA e payment platform of TSA, Chief Inuwa Iyodo, General Manager, Finance, National Pension Commission, Omoluabi Olabode Adeyemi MNIPR, Executive Director, Africa Media Roundtable Initiative, Commissioner of Police Kogi state and Director Department of State Security, all as recipients of the KOGI @25 distinguished Kogi ambassadors honors today organized by the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kogi state Chapter to mark the occasion of Kogi @25. With the presence of all other distinguished award recipients, Mallam Sule emerged unanimously the finest, best and the most outstanding recipient. While his profile was read to the cheering audience of his selflessness, determination, resilience, patriotism and sincerity of purpose in doing a daily service no one actually regularly appreciated. The lucky Mallam didn't go home with just plaque and honor, he got huge financial donation from the invited guests. Leading the roll call of the guests donors are General Manager, Systemspecs, Mr Paul Ibidun, Executive Director of Africa Media Roundtable Initiative, Omoluabi Olabode Adeyemi and A traditional ruler from Ejule in Igala. Over joyous Mallam Sule was full of appreciation and happiness. It would be recalled that Kogi state marked her 25th creation anniversary.

APPEAL COURT JUDGEMENT AGAINST ME POLITICAL-FALEKE

Following Thursday’s ruling of the appellate court which upheld the ruling of the lower tribunal that declared Governor Yahaya Bello as the governor of Kogi state, James Abiodun Faleke, the All Progressives Congress, APC, deputy governorship candidate in the November 21, 2015 governorship election has instructed his lawyers to proceed to the Supreme Court to appeal against the latest judgment describing it as political judgement.


In a statement issued by his Director Media, Hon. Duro Meseko, shortly after the judgment was delivered, Faleke stated that he disagrees with the judgment, hence his decision to express his constitutional right by challenging the Appeal Court judgment at the Supreme Court.



According to the statement, "this judgement as you all can see is a political judgement and cannot stand the test of time.

“We strongly condemn the judgement and believe that the Supreme Court that is the custodian of Nigeria constitution and the court of the people would do justice to our case."
Faleke decried what he called the undue political influence being exerted on the judges by some highly placed government officials in the Presidency, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately call them to order.
"I am calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to do justice to Nigerians, to do justice to Kogites by immediately calling his ministers and other top government officials to order especially the Minister of Justice , Malami who has been advising government wrongly on these issues. The day before the lower Tribunal gave judgement, June 5, 2016, Malami granted an interview in The Nation Newspaper where he analysed the Kogi Tribunal issue and what he said was exactly what the judges did the following day".
Faleke said it was inconceivable that the president who has been complaining to global audiences on the nation,s judiciary would find it difficult to rein in his ministers who are interfering in judicial issues".
He said it was curious for the Appeal Court to hold that INEC manual for elections has a coordinate locus as the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Citing section 187 of the constitution, Faleke said it was wrong for the Appellate court to rule that he could not be declared winner because he did not participate in the primaries since the Constitution already recognises Deputy Governorship candidates as "candidates" who in the eyes of the law have participated in primaries.
Faleke however expressed elation that the Court of Appeal ruled on the vexed issue of locus standi declaring that he has locus to challenge the outcome of the election.


Faleke appealed to his supporters to be calm and go about their normal businesses, saying that, “at last, victory shall be ours at the Supreme Court.”

SCANDAL: Kogi N30m Bailout fund embezzled.

                                                                                           Online news platform naij.com has revealed how Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, is been accused of mismanaging N30billion bailout fund given to the state by the Federal government of Nigeria. According to a report by The Cable, the allegation was made by an Abuja based civil society group, Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA), the governor’s chief of staff, Edward Onoja allegedly took N1billion from the bailout fund.

The group has asked Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the current administration in the state. Sadiq Jobi, publicity secretary of the organisation, alleged that “the spate of the depletion of the bailout funds and other statutory funds, particularly in the last two weeks, is mind-boggling”. He said the government got N30 billion bailout from the federal government, saying N10 billion out of the money ought to be for infrastructure, and N20 billion for salaries.  “N10 billion out of the N20 billion meant for salaries is domiciled in Zenith Bank, while the remaining N10 billion is currently in Access Bank,” EMA said in a statement signed by Jobi.
“It is instructive to note that on the 27th of July 2016, the sum of N 912,648,960.49 million was paid from the Infrastructural account Number 1010756707 at Zenith Bank to AG Vision Construction Nig Ltds account no 1920001651 at Skye Bank as part payment purportedly made for the construction of Agasa-Ukpogoro road, a fictitious non-existing project as at today. “Our investigation revealed that nothing of such is happening on the road.” The statement said Bello had possibly diverted money meant for civil servants, to issues of his election.
“We are highly suspicious of the movement of the money especially at this time where four appellants are challenging his purported election at the appeal tribunal,” EMA said. “We also note that towards the end of the case at the lower tribunal, the state governor approved the movement from the infrastructure account the sum of N1.7billion naira account purportedly for a contract to Lebanese Company, MAJ Global construction Company ltd, owned by one Michel Abboud as CEO.
According to documents seen by Cable, N1.7 billion was used for the renovation of 17 units of houses within government house, Lokoja. Buildings listed for renovation were the residences of secretary to the state government (SSG), accountant-general, chief security officer (CSO), director-general of protocol, Imam’s residence, among others. EMA said its investigation showed that no renovation whatsoever was taking place at the buildings. It also said the amount budgeted for the exercise is outrageous.
“Now the question is why did the government award such contracts without advertising them? Even if the contracts were advertised, how could a single company win all the bids in such a competitive environment as we have in Nigeria today?” the organisation asked. “Looking at the contract details and the figures as stated below, how much does it even cost to construct a new building that a poor state like Kogi would be renovating buildings at these staggering sums ?
“We note with shock that most of the payments to the contractors are done in cash at government house apparently to facilitate movement of cash.” The organisation also alleged that the governor and his aides had been moving money in a suspicious manner in recent times. It said there could be plans to use the money to influence the outcome of the court judgement on Bello’s election. “Our suspicion of movement of cash especially at this time when judgment in the Appeal case against the governor is to be delivered was aroused when the State Government opened a new Sub TREASURY Account called ‘Govt House Admin’ account number 1010662710 with Zenith Bank,” it said.
“The shocking aspect is that the sum of N100 Million is now daily drawn in cash from this account for the past two weeks! Meanwhile, the other old ‘Govt House Admin’ account with the same Zenith bank has a negative balance of N498,157,883 unserviced. The question is: ‘Why would Zenith Bank allow another account to be opened in the name of Govt House Admin?’ What is the chief of staff doing with the alleged over one billion naira cash ferried in his black G-Wagon Mercedes Benz to Abuja last week?
“Time is here for the EFCC and ICPC to move into Kogi for a clinical review of the criminal rape of the commonwealth of the long-suffering people of the state before it gets out of hand.”

SCANDAL: Kogi N30m Bailout fund embezzed.

                                                                                           Online news platform naij.com has revealed how Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, is been accused of mismanaging N30billion bailout fund given to the state by the Federal government of Nigeria. According to a report by The Cable, the allegation was made by an Abuja based civil society group, Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA), the governor’s chief of staff, Edward Onoja allegedly took N1billion from the bailout fund.

The group has asked Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the current administration in the state. Sadiq Jobi, publicity secretary of the organisation, alleged that “the spate of the depletion of the bailout funds and other statutory funds, particularly in the last two weeks, is mind-boggling”. He said the government got N30 billion bailout from the federal government, saying N10 billion out of the money ought to be for infrastructure, and N20 billion for salaries.  “N10 billion out of the N20 billion meant for salaries is domiciled in Zenith Bank, while the remaining N10 billion is currently in Access Bank,” EMA said in a statement signed by Jobi.
“It is instructive to note that on the 27th of July 2016, the sum of N 912,648,960.49 million was paid from the Infrastructural account Number 1010756707 at Zenith Bank to AG Vision Construction Nig Ltds account no 1920001651 at Skye Bank as part payment purportedly made for the construction of Agasa-Ukpogoro road, a fictitious non-existing project as at today. “Our investigation revealed that nothing of such is happening on the road.” The statement said Bello had possibly diverted money meant for civil servants, to issues of his election.
“We are highly suspicious of the movement of the money especially at this time where four appellants are challenging his purported election at the appeal tribunal,” EMA said. “We also note that towards the end of the case at the lower tribunal, the state governor approved the movement from the infrastructure account the sum of N1.7billion naira account purportedly for a contract to Lebanese Company, MAJ Global construction Company ltd, owned by one Michel Abboud as CEO.
According to documents seen by Cable, N1.7 billion was used for the renovation of 17 units of houses within government house, Lokoja. Buildings listed for renovation were the residences of secretary to the state government (SSG), accountant-general, chief security officer (CSO), director-general of protocol, Imam’s residence, among others. EMA said its investigation showed that no renovation whatsoever was taking place at the buildings. It also said the amount budgeted for the exercise is outrageous.
“Now the question is why did the government award such contracts without advertising them? Even if the contracts were advertised, how could a single company win all the bids in such a competitive environment as we have in Nigeria today?” the organisation asked. “Looking at the contract details and the figures as stated below, how much does it even cost to construct a new building that a poor state like Kogi would be renovating buildings at these staggering sums ?
“We note with shock that most of the payments to the contractors are done in cash at government house apparently to facilitate movement of cash.” The organisation also alleged that the governor and his aides had been moving money in a suspicious manner in recent times. It said there could be plans to use the money to influence the outcome of the court judgement on Bello’s election. “Our suspicion of movement of cash especially at this time when judgment in the Appeal case against the governor is to be delivered was aroused when the State Government opened a new Sub TREASURY Account called ‘Govt House Admin’ account number 1010662710 with Zenith Bank,” it said.
“The shocking aspect is that the sum of N100 Million is now daily drawn in cash from this account for the past two weeks! Meanwhile, the other old ‘Govt House Admin’ account with the same Zenith bank has a negative balance of N498,157,883 unserviced. The question is: ‘Why would Zenith Bank allow another account to be opened in the name of Govt House Admin?’ What is the chief of staff doing with the alleged over one billion naira cash ferried in his black G-Wagon Mercedes Benz to Abuja last week?
“Time is here for the EFCC and ICPC to move into Kogi for a clinical review of the criminal rape of the commonwealth of the long-suffering people of the state before it gets out of hand.”