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FCT agog for Achebe, Ekwensi Plans to turn the Federal Capital City into a center of artistic and literary activities may have paid off as the city over the weekend hosted the major events which celebrated literary icons, Professor Chinua Achebe and the late Cyprian Ekwensi.
‘Obasanjo, Family Members Got 1m Sq. Metres Land in Abuja’ The Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) probing the sale of Federal Government houses and other related matters is in possession of a memorandum linking former President Olusegun Obasanjo and members of his family to the ownership of plots of land measuring over 1 million square metres in different locations in the FCT.
75000 Houses Demolished in Abuja Under el-Rufai The general counsel of the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA), Mal-lam Mohammed Alkali yesterday told the Senate Committee probing the sale of Federal Government houses and property in Abuja that the el-Rufai administration in the FCT
FCT probe: el-Rufai accused of lawlessness ACCUSATIONS of impunity and lawlessness were yesterday levelled at the immediate past administration of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) headed by Mallam Nasir el-Rufai with victims talking of a regime of lawlessness under his watch. The accusations made at the Senate Public Hearing on the affairs of the FCT Administration during the Obasanjo administration peaked with Umar Sambo, son of the late Justice Bashir Sambo, immediate past President of the Code of Conduct Bureau, demanding a posthumous apology from the government to his late father over the latter’s eviction from the official quarters he purchased. However, Mallam el-Rufai in a riposte dismissed the allegations against him, saying there was no one time a valid court order against the administration was breached. “The el-Rufai administration is being maligned for disobeying non-existent court order or those issued but never properly served on the administration as required by law,” Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Chief of Staff in the el-Rufai FCT Administration, said in a statement yesterday. The first shot at the former administration incidentally came from a former aide of el-Rufai, Mallam Mohammed Alkali, former Director of Legal Services sacked by el-Rufai but subsequently re-engaged by the present Aliyu Modibo regime as General Counsel. “It was an irresponsible administration. But the new administration now has the opportunity to put things right,’ Alkali said, adding: “One will not want to serve an organization that does not have respect for the rule of law especially on the demolition of houses, there is something wrong somewhere.” Asked by Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, a Committee member, if the el-Rufai administration disobeyed court orders, he said: “Yes, there have been some orders that were disobeyed by hise last administration.” Mr. Umar Sambo, son of Justice Sambo, at the point of tears narrated how the el-Rufai administration disobeyed court orders and threw his father’s property into the rain. He said his father developed heart problems over the issue and died eight months after the eviction on April 29, 2007. His submission provoked great emotion from Committee members with panel chairman, Senator Sodangi giving an order for the appearance of the former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, on Monday. He is to tell the Committee why he refused to obey Sambo’s rights despite court orders. “I feel so sad, I feel so depressed that an elder statesman will die the way the late Justice Sambo died because of the rascality of some people in government,” Committee member, Senator Smart Adeyemi said. But responding to the allegations against el-Rufai, Mallam Lawal, his former Chief of Staff said: “While we don’t want to join issues or review the proceedings of the Committee pending the time Mallam el-Rufai will appear in person, we feel it is pertinent to set the records straight. Mallam M. Alkali, the General Counsel of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), testimony at the Public Hearing by the Senate Committee on FCT today (yesterday), 10th April 2008 is misleading and false in every conceivable sense. “It is true that people went to court as the records show, but there is no record that shows anywhere that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) violated a single court order under Mallam Nasir el- Rufai’s administration. Alkali’s oral testimony contradicts his written submission to the Committee as the official records in the FCTA as submitted by himself show that no such violation existed. The el-Rufai’s administration is being maligned for disobeying non-existent court order or those issued but never properly served on the administration as required by law. “Alkali’s oral testimony fits into a pattern of lies and contradictions. For the records, there are over 600 cases against the FCT in court. Over 400 predated the el-Rufai era. We want to state that Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and the FCTA Administration under his stewardship had abiding respect for the sanctity of the law court and never contemplated disobedience of court orders. “Contrary to his assertions, Mallam M. Alkali was in no position to offer any legal advice to the former Minister, as he was neither the Director Legal Services nor the Legal Adviser to the Minister. So the question of ignoring his advice never arose. We believe facts are sacred and all of us should respect facts,” he said.
Gowon, Abdulsalami, Ekwueme, others demand return of revoked FCT land SOME former Heads of State and governors are mounting pressure on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Dr. Aliu Modibbo Umar, to return their plots of land which allocation was revoked during the tenure of his predecessor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai. This came to light yesterday at the start of a public hearing on the sale of Federal Government's property located in the FCT. At the event, Senate President David Mark urged the Modibbo FCT Administration to ensure that everybody adhered strictly to the Abuja Master plan. Testifying before the committee, Umar also reacted to insinuations that he was behind the Senate investigation pointing out that as the current FCT minister, he had the power to institute a panel of enquiry to look into some of the things that happened in the last administration if he wanted to do so. He said instead of pursuing the option of probing the last FCT administration, he had chosen to find means of fixing the problems his administration inherited. Modibbo informed the panel that some former Presidents and some former governors had protested the revocation of their plots in FCT, adding that they were actually putting pressure on him to return those plots back to them. According to him, only former military President Ibrahim Babaginda did not protest. He named the protesting former leaders as President Shehu Shagari, former Vice- President Alex Ekwueme, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Gen.Yakubu Gowon. Umar remarked: " Some of these revoked plots belong to former governors and former Heads of State and they have been putting pressure on me to give it back to them, so you cannot believe the tremendous pressure. Despite the fact that most of these plots are on the green areas, all our former heads of states except Gen. Babangida have complained about their plot of land being revoked, Gen. Gowon has three of his plots revoked, Gen. Abdulsalami lost seven. But Alhaji Shehu Shagari said he does not need it anyway when I spoke with him on phone." He also disclosed that the FCT has allocated over 37,000 plots of land since 1999 to 2003. Modibbo also told the committee of the problem of litigation his administration inherited from the last administration, saying "we have over 800 cases in court over land allocation." On the sale of houses, he said: "I was part of that administration, and I am very proud of the decision to do so. It was meant to empower the public officers and civil servants. But I have retained all staff involved in the sale of houses to enable me provide answers to questions that might be asked." He told the committee "that the last administration carved out 65 plots out of the ministerial quarters in Mabuchi district in Abuja and sold them to other people" an action he described as inconsistent with the policy of the last Federal Government. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT affairs, Senator Abubakar Sodangi, has challenged all past ministers of the territory to immediately publish all document relating to contracts or plots illegally acquired by him. Reacting to reports that the investigation was targeted at some former FCT ministers, Sodangi said: "Nobody can intimidate or threaten me in this assignment. I want to say this: Whoever gave me plots or contracts in the last administration in the FCT should come out and say so today". Meanwhile, a question asked by a member of the committee, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, regarding an alleged disappearance of the sum of N34 billion from the N96 billion realised from the sale of Federal Government houses in Abuja was overruled by the panel chairman because of the direct reference made to El-Rufai. Earlier, while opening the hearing, Mark praised the last FCT administration for removing all illegal structures within the city. The Senate President urged the committee to be fair to all parties involved in the investigation, saying that the Senate could not be used to achieve any selfish motive apart from the one that would promote the national interest. His words: "The Senate would not allow itself to be used and this investigation is not targeted at witch-haunting anybody. The Senate cannot be used to achieve any selfish purpose except in the interest of the nation. I want to say that the master plan of the FCT must be totally adhered to. We want all cities to look like Abuja and we can only achieve this by keeping to its master plan. I admire the zeal with which the last administration handled issues of the master plan of Abuja by removing all structures running contrary to the master plan, on sewage system, etc. I hope this administration will keep to the master plan and improve on the job done by the last administration."
FCT minister arrests 22 cows in Abuja, repatriates 395 beggars, 65 lunatics FEDERAL Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, on Monday disclosed that he had arrested 22 cows in the Federal Capital Territory for wandering while their owners were fined by the Abuja Environmental Court. He also disclosed that the FCT Administration in the past four weeks, apprehended and repatriated 395 beggars and 65 lunatics in the territory to their respective states of origin. According to him, 135 hawkers were arrested and prosecuted from March 30 to April 6, 2008 of whom 43 were underaged and so could not be prosecuted. Additionally, Dr. Umar said that a total of 224 banners and 17,800 posters were removed in the city during the period under review, noting that illegal structures such as tents, carpentry workshops and batchers were removed from Gwarinpa District. He said all these after the bi-monthly FCT Operations Briefing Session in his office. The Minister assured that the operation and the mopping up would be a continuous process until the city was rid of beggars to enable it take its proper position as the best Conference City in Africa. Dr. Umar said there was a standing mandate from President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to that effect, adding that the FCT would not do anything short of that mandate because of the oath he took. Dr. Umar declared that he would ensure that Abuja remained a model city as planned by its founding fathers. The Minister frowned at the unfilthy environment of Utako Police Station and that of ABC Transport Company, warning that government agencies and corporate organizations which did not keep a clean environment would be closed down. The Minister said 23 unknown corpses from Gwarinpa Hospital and other health institutions in the territory were recovered and buried.
858 civil servants lose houses in Abuja NO fewer than 858 civil servants have lost the chances of purchasing the Federal Government houses occupied by them in the FCT. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja learnt that the houses were among those to be auctioned by the FCT Ad-Hoc Committee on the Sale of Federal Government Houses. A reliable source close to the committee told NAN that the houses would be sold because the occupants could not meet up with the conditions for the purchase. The conditions were outlined by the Federal Government between 2005 and 2007. “Among the defaulters, 161 lost their chances because they failed in some of the stipulated terms for the purchase of the houses. “Some only paid the N10,000 expression of interest fee without paying the first 10 per cent before going for mortgage to pay the balance. “Having failed to satisfy the conditions in spite of the extension given, the only option left is for the committee to auction those houses,’’ the source said. NAN investigation showed that some of the defaulters included retirees and civil servants who were sick during the exercise. The investigation showed that the houses were to be sold on a first-come first-serve basis. Mr Abbas Umar, the Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, could not confirm the number of defaulters who would be affected. He said that auctioning the houses would entail full payment of the reserved price. “The exercise would be carried out on the walk-in-and-pay basis,’’ he said.
Lagos: Fashola, lawmakers, others iron out differences LAGOS State Governor, Babatunde Fashola and members of the state legislature at the weekend smoothened out rough ends that could have tapered into an executive-legislative crisis. The issues were trashed out during a two-day executive-legislative parley held at Ajah, Lagos. Notable leaders of the ruling Action Congress (AC) in Lagos, including the immediate past Governor, Bola Tinubu, state and national lawmakers from the state, among others, were at the event. Some legislators in the state House of Assembly and their counterparts at the national level, led by the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Olorunimbe Mamora, alleged not being carried along on some vital policy issues pertaining to their constituencies. The executive, led by Fashola and his predecessor Tinubu, argued that matters relating to the development of the state and its rights within the federation must be given priorities over personal motives. At the end of the deliberation, which was also attended by the Lagos State AC Chairman, Henry Ajomale and all serving commissioners, a communiqu? bordering on good governance and delivery of dividends of democracy was issued. A member of the House of Representatives, Abike Dabiri, read the communiqu?. The parley resolved to ensure that the two arms of government continue to work in harmony and greater commitment to promoting good governance and democracy in the state, strengthening the practice of true federalism in Nigeria and protecting the constitutional rights of the state. It also recommended that a think-tank saddled with the responsibility of researching and impacting on legislation be set up with members drawn from the office of the Attorney General of the state, the House of Assembly and the National Assembly under the office of the Special Adviser, Political and Legislative Powers Bureau. The communiqu? also urged a legislative agenda for the state that would include facilitating the disbursement of revenue, especially personal income tax and stamp duties collected by the Federal Government on behalf of the states. It noted that under section 163 (b) of the 1999 Constitution, these revenues are to be returned to the state on the basis of derivation. It regretted that the provision was not being complied with. The forum canvassed that the proceeds of privatisation and sale of Federal Government assets should be paid into the Federation Account. The communiqu? also wants the review, amendment or repeal of the Taxes and Levies Decree of 1998, which, according to it, encroaches on the residual taxing powers of the state House of Assembly. The forum also called for the repeal of the Value Added Tax (VAT) since sales and consumption taxes are neither on the exclusive nor concurrent lists. It further opposed the call for repeal of the Land-use Act in view of the statutory effects the Act has had on land management in Nigeria. It urged the repeal of the National Sports Lottery Act because "it is a residual matter and it is conceptionally wrong to impose national lottery on every state in a Federal Republic like Nigeria." The Lagos State executive and legislature also advocated the repeal of the National Inland Waterways Authority Act, which allegedly encroaches on internal and intra-state waterways of Lagos State and hampers the efforts of the state government to promote and develop water transportation. The parley also urged application of derivation formula in the distribution of all taxes collected by the Federal Inland Revenue Service within the state. It restated the case for special status for Lagos State as a former federal capital and the economic nerve centre of the country. It was also agreed that the parley should hold quarterly as a forum for positive interaction, brainstorming and information sharing.
Police declare nine wanted over FCT council chief's murder FOR their alleged role in the murder of Kwali Area Council Chairman, Samuel Gwamna Mari, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command yesterday declared nine suspects wanted. The Police authorities said, however, that they were already holding in their custody, ready for prosecution, the Vice Chairman of the council, Mallam Adamu Sa'idu Ashara, for allegedly masterminding the killing of the council chief. Mari was gunned down by four unknown men on January 28, 2008, at about 4.30 p.m. while his orderly and driver sustained serious injuries during the attack. The Police orderly, Sergeant Dauda Gwada, later died at the Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital in Abuja. Briefing journalists at the Command's Headquarters, the FCT Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Haruna John, gave an update on police investigations in the matter. He stated that the command has collated abundant evidence to sustain charges against the suspects over the gruesome murder of the late council chairman and his orderly. He said the police had already filed charges against the suspects at the high court, adding that the court earlier adjourned the case, "but the process will resume today in Abuja". While lamenting the delay in tracking down the nine suspects who are on the run, the CP called on members of the public to collaborate with the police to enable the authorities ensure that they are brought to justice. The FCT Minister of State, John James Akpanudoedehe, last Tuesday assured residents of Kwali Area Council that the government would soon complete investigations into the murder and prosecute perpetrators of the act. Akpanudoedehe gave the assurance while addressing the residents at the Kwali Town Hall before commissioning some of the projects completed by the late Mari before his assassination. The Minister of State who described Mari's death as a big blow and a challenge to the FCT Administration, assured that "we are doing everything humanly possible, everything scientifically possible and everything spiritually possible to apprehend those who killed Mari". Meanwhile, the FCT Police authorities yesterday expressed satisfaction with the weekend's FCT Senate and House of Representatives re-run election, describing it as the most hitch-free and fairest conducted in the nation's capital in the past decade.Source: The Guardian, 7th April 2007.
NUJ honours Onayekan, Jimoh, others THE Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Rev. John Onayekan, was at the weekend honoured alongside the Chief Public Relations Officer of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Alhaji Abubakar Jimoh by the Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Abuja chapter with Excellence Awards. While Bishop Onayekan was honoured with the Best Man of the Year Award, Jimoh won the Best Public Relations Officer of the Year Award just as three other journalists were also awarded for their hard-work and professional excellence in the discharge of their duties. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Dora Akunyili, who chaired the event, described the awardees as "deserving of the honour and praised NUJ for choosing the right people to honour," saying this noble initiative would entrench transparency, hard-work and excellence. Her word: "Honouring people that are good, celebrating and recognising people who have done well has a ripple effect. It motivates and encourages others to work hard. Above all, when hard-work, integrity and transparency are not recognised and celebrated or rewarded, corruption is promoted"_. Akunyili, who described Jimoh as Public Relations Officer per excellence, a seasoned journalists and political scientist also stated that honouring Bishop Onayekan has brought credibility to the awards. Jimoh attended the University of Ibadan where he graduated as a Best Student of Political Science in 1984 and a Master's degree in the same discipline in 1992 from University of Lagos.
FCT, NNPC Deals: Probe Targets Obasanjo THE planned comprehensive probe of the oil sector and the proposed Senate inquiry into the activities of the FCT under the El-rufai administration may be the beginning of an investigation of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, The Guardian has learnt. While the Senate probe of the FCT will open on Tuesday, no time schedule has been set for the expected enquiry into the nation's honey pot - an investigation being prompted by the report of a committee. The searchlight will be beamed on how Obasanjo, who acted as the Oil Minister in the better part of his tenure, ran the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other oil deals from 1999 to 2007. The imminent inquiry will target what the NNPC had done with accessed funds not paid into the Federation Account. Other areas that may be probed in the oil sector include the following:
Insiders said what the President saw about the commission has upset him and "he is fully persuaded that if inquiries get to that dirty arena, there may be too much public outcry for the crucifixion of his predecessor." But it was gathered that the presidency, which has the legal authority to handle a Commission of Inquiry on the issue through the Commission of Inquiry Act, will not be directly involved in the probe. Indeed, President Yar'Adua was reported, during last month's PDP convention, as saying that he would not be personally involved in any acts that would publicly disgrace his predecessor. However, the President's reticent mood on the issue was said to have been leaked to some hard liners in an anti-graft agency and the National Assembly. "So, sooner than later, the president, that has been under pressure to inquire into the deals in the oil sector, will watch, as another committee in the National Assembly will take up the gauntlet of public hearing on the NNPC and indeed the oil industry, where the former president was also minister for eight years," a presidency source said. The tone for the imminent searchlight on the oil industry is set by recent calls across the country, especially in the wake of the power sector probe by the committee of the House of Representatives. The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, according to its publicity secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, is calling for an urgent probe of the Obasanjo-led government. "We want to know those behind the accounts and on whose authority the sleaze was perpetrated," he said. The group had accused the Obasanjo government of fixing the benchmarks for the nation's budgets at "rock-bottom" in order to rake in the obnoxious excess crude funds, which were shared by officials. Shortly after the statement, the Yar'Adua administration ordered a probe into funds inflow into the Federation Account. Although the periods covered was not stated, the inquiry was to cover funds remitted by all revenue generating and mobilising agencies into the Federation Account. The presidency is reportedly unimpressed by the level of compliance of organisations such as the NNPC, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) with the rules on revenue remittance to the Federation Account (FA). However, a source said that, "the FIRS and the Customs remittances are not the main target here but the NNPC" that has been remarkably attacked by the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mr. Hamman Tukur. Meanwhile, another Pandora's box, generally believed to target Obasanjo, will open at the Senate on Tuesday. The Senate inquiry into the FCT activities will cover the following areas: Sale of Federal Government houses; concessioning of some federal government properties; issues of land allocation and revocation and demolition and compensation and other matters arising from the above. Though the Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Abubakar Sodangi, last Friday explained that the exercise was not to witch-hunt, it was learnt that the probe, originally billed for two days, might stretch over a month. This is so, as many aggrieved victims are angling to question Obasanjo's alleged arbitrary powers given to the then FCT minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai to clean up Abuja, among others. Senator Sodangi explained in a statement at the weekend that, "the main objective of this exercise is to seek a means to redress issues and to provide succour, justice and equity to aggrieved persons." "I make bold to say that the exercise in its finality could provide the needed forum to exonerate the past administrations of actions taken by them, clear negative publicity and serve as a lesson and way forward for present and future administrations in the FCT and the nation at large." About 1,000 questions are said to have been drafted to guide the inquiry.
FCT, Imo primary schools benefit from Japanese grants THREE primary schools in both the Federal Capital Territory and Imo State will be direct beneficiaries of $126,375 (N14,912,250) grant this year under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Programme (GGP) of the Government of Japan. The pledged fund, to be granted two local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) will be signed today in Abuja. It will be used for the construction and renovation of buildings and other facilities. The implementing agencies include Relief, Peace and Development Initiative and the Youth Cultural Association of Nigeria. Only 237 pupils are currently enrolled at Jigakuchi Primary School in Bwari Area Council of the FCT while there are nearly 5,600 school-aged children are in the area. Currently, two classrooms, a mud room and a church have functioned as learning spaces. A 25 per cent increase was recorded in enrollment figures in the past two years ,a statement by the Embassy of Japan said. The Jigakuchi project which will attract $56,945 (about N6,719,510) will take care of a school building with four additional classrooms equipped with 180 sets of desks and chairs. In Imo State, Obibi Primary School and Ubogwu Primary School in Awo-Omamma community, Oru East local council area which are in dire need of facilities will be granted $69,430 (N8,192,740). Rationalisation of facilities in Obibi primary school which was destroyed by storm a few years ago has sometimes forced about 80 students into a class. A similar situation obtains in Ubogwu where windows, doors and roofs of the five classrooms and a teachers' room will be renovated. Desks will be provided for about 200 pupils too. Since 1999,the Government of Japan has contributed $3,829,468(about N451,877,224) under the GGP assistance programme while implementing 81 projects in Nigeria.
FCT: lack of funds stalls establishment of satellite fire stations The Federal Fire Service yesterday blamed lack of funds for its inability to establish fire stations in satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Mr Ibrahim Liman, head of department, FCT Fire Service told reporters in Abuja that "for now there is no fund to operate fire stations in satellite towns". Liman however said plans were underway to have fire service stations in the Area Council headquarters. He said that there were eight fire stations that cover the territory, three of which were for Asokoro, Nyanya and Karu. "Mabushi fire station covers Kubwa, Dei-Dei and Karmo axis, while Games village fire station covers Durumi, Lugbe axis and these stations are functional’’, he added. He explained that the service had a system that ran 24 hours shift duty while in the Bwari area council fire station, there were two functional fire fighting vehicles. "In Gwagwalada, we also have men on ground with two vehicles while in Kuje and Abaji, we have our men there and one fire fighting vehicle each and they all run 24 hours shift duty. We have covered the entire territory and we have fourteen functional fire fighting vehicles," he added. He urged Nigerians to always come out when fire lectures and demonstrations are organised because it would help them during fire outbreak. " Even after writing them, they will just ignore our men and will not attend to them and when there is a fire out break, they start calling us," he added that. He said the essence of the lecture, inspection and demonstration was to tell people what to do in case of fire outbreak and the causes of fire disaster. "This is a season for fire outbreaks because of harmattan. It is hot, windy, dry and these are ingredients required for fast combustion which can lead to fire outbreak. "The public does not notify us on time for us to know that there is a fire outbreak’’, Liman said. He appealed to the public to always call at the nearest fire station during emergency adding that fees were not required to fight fire.
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