Panel: scrap EFCC, ICPC, FRSC, others

By The Nation: Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja 

 

oronsanye

SOME federal agencies are to die – should the government embrace the recommendations of a committee it set up to examine its parastatals.
The Steve Oronsaye Committee on Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals and Agencies, which was set up in August, last year, after working for eight months, submitted its report to President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday. 
No fewer than 102 heads of agencies and parastatals (MDAs) will lose their plum positions, should President Jonathan implement the recommendations.
There are 541 government parastatals, commissions and agencies (statutory and non-statutory).
The committee’s 800-page report revealed that 12 years after the government had decided to either scrap, commercialise or privatise some of its parastatals and agencies, they are still receiving full government funding, which runs into billions of naira.
Besides, the committee recommended the scrapping of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The committee noted that their functions are overlapping with that of the Police.
The committee also pushed for the reduction of Statutory agencies from 263 to 161.
The committee recommended the abolition of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversion of 14 to departments in ministries. The committee also recommended the management audit of 89 agencies capturing biometric features of staff as well as the discontinuation of government funding of professional bodies/councils. In all, Oronsaye said if the committee’s report was adopted and agencies reduced in accordance with the recommendation, the government would be saving over N862 billion between this year and 2015.
The breakdown showed that about N124.8 billion would be reduced from agencies proposed for abolition; about N100.6 billion from agencies proposed for mergers; about N6.6 billionn from professional bodies; N489.9 billion from universities;  N50.9 billion from polytechnics; N32.3 billion from colleges of education and N616 million from boards of federal medical centres.
The committee was mandated to: 
•study and review all previous reports on similar exercise; examine the enabling Acts of all MDAs and classify them into various sectors;
•examine critically their mandates and make appropriate recommendations to either restructure, merge or scrap; and
•advise on any other matters, which may be relevant to the desire of government to prune the cost of governance.
Receiving the report, President Jonathan promised to immediately set up a white paper committee so as to facilitate implementation of the recommendations made, saying that the white paper should be ready in two months.
Oronsaye decried the average cost of governance, which he said ranks among the highest in the world. 
Oronsaye noted that there are 541 Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies (statutory and non-statutory).
“The Committee believes that if the cost of governance must be brought down, then both the Legislature and Judiciary must make spirited efforts at reducing their running costs as well as restructuring and rationalising the agencies under them since the three arms make up the government,” Oronsaye said.
Citing the case of EFCC and ICPC, which the committee noted are performing the traditional functions of the Police, it observed “that even though the two Commissions were established separately to address corruption, which the Police appeared to have failed to do, successive administrations have ironically continued to appoint the Chairman of the EFCC from the Police Force while the methodology adopted by the ICPC in conducting investigations as well as the training of its personnel in investigation procedure are carried out by the Police.
“Mr. President, the point that must be reiterated is the fact that an institution is inefficient and ineffective should not be a basis for the creation of new ones. 
The officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force have been reputed for performing exceptionally and winning laurels while on international peace-keeping and other missions. This implies that the problems of our Police are not incurable.”
Also, the Oronsaye Committee noted that there was no basis for setting up the FRSC, which duplicates the functions of the Department of the Highways of the Federal Ministry of Works on one hand and the Nigeria Police functions of maintaining laws and order on the roads on the other hand.
“One case that stands out clearly in this regard is that of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), which should not be in existence in its present form.  What the FRSC was set up to do is a replication of the mandates of two existing bodies namely: the Highway Department of the Federal Ministry of Works with respect to the maintenance of safety and orderliness on our highways and the role of the Nigeria Police Force in ensuring law and order on our roads.
“Indeed, it is a fundamental breach of acceptable practice of good public sector governance to create a new agency or institution as a response to the seeming failure or poor performance of an existing agency in order to suit political or individual interests. 
“Such a practice has proved eventually to precipitate systemic conflicts, crises and even collapse at a substantial but avoidably high financial cost to government”. 
Other agencies cited doing overlapping functions are the Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) in the area of frequency allocation.
Also, UBEC, Nomadic Education Commission and National Mass Literacy Commission are performing overlapping functions and should be brought under one body. The committee again believes NTA, FRCN and VON should be under one management.
Oronsaye said: “Expectedly, there will be resistance and reluctance by those who will always want to protect territories or seek to promote their selfish interests. While noting that the decisions to be taken by the Administration will be difficult, we are emboldened by the principle that if a decision is for the common good, it is best that those decisions are taken without delay.”

2015: Battle to stop me frivolous, says Jonathan

By The Nation: Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

 

Dr. Jonathan

The President has spoken on his political future –less than two years into his four years tenure.
Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s stand is that he is entitled to another term under the 1999 Constitution because he is doing his first term of four years in office.
But, the President insists that he has not indicated or announced that he will run in 2015 as being insinuated.
Jonathan’s position is stated in a counter-affidavit to a suit filed by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Cyriacus Njoku, seeking to stop him from contesting the 2015 presidential election.
The suit followed a statement credited to the President that he is serving his first term in office.
According to Njoku, Jonathan cannot be a candidate in 2015 because he is running a second term in office.
Citing Section 137 (1) (b) of the Constitution, the plaintiff maintained that the President cannot swear to an oath of office thrice.
Joined in the suit are the President (first respondent), the PDP (second respondent) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the third respondent.
In the 15-paragraph counter affidavit deposed to by Osahon Okeaya-Inneh, a lawyer in the law firm of Mr Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), President Jonathan described the suit as frivolous and vexatious, adding that it failed to disclose a reasonable cause of action.
The deponent said: “The 1st defendant is currently doing his first term of four years in office as the president of Nigeria as provided by the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“The 1st defendant’s status and position are formidably backed by the 1999 Constitution.
“The constitution of Nigeria only makes provisions for a president to contest for not more than two terms of four years each.
“The Constitution recognises Executive President’s tenure of office to be four years.
“I was informed by Dr Reuben Abati (the presidential spokesman) on the April 4, 2012 at about 5.30 pm in his office and I verily believe that ‘The 1st defendant has not indicated or announced anywhere, whether in words or in writing, that he will contest for the presidential elections to be conducted in 2015’.
“The late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua contested and won the presidential elections conducted in 2007 for a one term of four years. He was the president from May 29, 2007, until sometime in May 2010 when he passed on. ‘Yar’Adua’s four years was to end in 2011.”
Jonathan averred that on May 6, 2010, he was sworn in as the president after the demise of the late President Yar’Adua, thereby completing Yara’Adua’s 12 months of the four years tenure.
He insisted that this is the first time he is coming to power as the president through a conducted election wherein he was voted as the presidential candidate of his party, PDP.
Besides, the President stated that the plaintiff did not attach copies of his recent tax clearance certificate from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and his PDP membership card as proof of who he claims to be.
Consequently, he asked the court to discountenance the suit as it was, in his view, meant to make the court labour in futility because the suit is purely an academic exercise.
Njoku, through his counsel, Mr. Osuagwu Ugochukwu, raised two questions for determination by the court. These are:
•Whether Section 135(2) of the Constitution which specifies a period of four years in office for the President is only available or applicable to a person elected on the basis of an actual election or includes one in which a person assumes the position of President by operation of law as in the case of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; and
‘Whether Section 137(1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections applies to the 1st defendant who first took an Oath of Office as substantive President on May 6, 2010 and took a second Oath of Office as president on May 29, last year’.
Justice Mudashiru Onyangi has fixed Wednesday to hear Jonathan’s application for an extension of time within which his lawyer can file his memorandum of appearance and counter affidavit to the plaintiff’s suit dated March 20.
Njoku went to court to stop Jonathan from contesting in the January 2011 PDP presidential primaries, asking the party to respect its zoning principle.
He said the declaration of Jonathan (third defendant) to contest the presidency on the PDP platform was contrary to Article 7.2(c) of the Party’s Constitution (as amended).
But the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Lawan Gummi, dismissed the suit.
On March 20 at an Abuja High Court Njoku filed a suit over the actual status of which term the President is serving in office.
The suit followed a declaration by the President that he is serving his first term.
The applicant claimed in the suit that Jonathan is running a second term in office and cannot be a candidate in 2015.
He also said the President cannot swear to an Oath of Office thrice in the light of Section 137(1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution.
Those joined in the matter are the President (1st Respondent), the Peoples Democratic Party (2nd Respondent), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the 3rd Respondent.
The applicant through his counsel, Mr. Osuagwu Ugochukwu, raised two questions for determination by the court.
These are: •Whether Section 135(2) of the Constitution which specifies a period of four years in office for the President is only available or applicable to a person elected on the basis of an actual election or includes one in which a person assumes the position of President by operation of law as in the case of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan 
•Whether Section 137(1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which provides that a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections applies to the 1st Defendant who first took an Oath of Office as substantive President on May 6, 2010 and took a second Oath of Office as President on May 29, 2011.
The applicant is seeking the five reliefs as follows:
•A declaration that the tenure of office as President by Dr. Jonathan (i.e 1st Defendant) began on May 6, 2010 when his first term began and his two terms shall end on May 29, 2015 after taking his second Oath of Office on May 29, 2011.
•A declaration that by virtue of Section 136 (1) (b) of the Constitution, no person (including the 1st Defendant) shall take the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office prescribed to in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution more than twice.
•An order of injunction restraining the 1st Defendant from further contesting or attempting to vie for the Office of the President of the Federal Republic if Nigeria after May 29, 2015 when his tenure shall by the Nigerian Constitution afforested ends
•An order of injunction restraining the 2nd Defendant from further sponsoring or attempting to sponsor the 1st Defendant as candidate for election to the office of the President in the 2015 Presidential Election after the expiration of his two terms on May 29, 2015.
•An order directing the 3rd Defendant from accepting the name of the 1st Defendant where sponsored by his party again to run for the Office of the President in the 2015 Presidential Election to be supervised and conducted by the 3rd Defendant (INEC).  
Njoku also in August 2010 attempted to stop the PDP from allowing Dr. Jonathan to participate in the PDP presidential primaries of January 2011.
Njoku, from Zuba Ward in Gwagwalada Area Council in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with PDP registration number 1622735 urged the court to ask the PDP to respect its principle on zoning in line with Article 7.2(c) of the party’s constitution.
He said the declaration of Jonathan (3rd Defendant) to contest the presidency under the PDP was contrary to Article7.2(c) of the PDP 2009 Constitution (as amended).
But the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Lawan Gummi, dismissed the zoning suit.

50 foreigners held in anti-Boko Haram raid

By The Natuion: Yusuf Alli, Abuja 

Security agents swung into action at the weekend, following Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau’s Youtube threat.
Fifty foreign nationals were arrested in Abuja.
Those arrested were mostly illegal aliens from Niger, Chad and Mali, it was gathered.
But the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) yesterday said it was only intensifying surveillance not only in Abuja but in the 36 states.
The Nation learnt that following a tip-off, Immigration operatives stormed a quarters at about 8.15pm. They came in a Coaster bus, painted in the service colour. The bus was escorted by a Toyota Hillux van carrying armed men, mostly.
Most of the armed operatives were in mufti.
A source, who witnessed the surveillance, said: “Having known that it s a hideout of foreign nationals, the Immigration officers came for the combing of the area.
“Gunshots fired into the air sent everyone scampering to safety, including children, nursing mothers and expectant women.
“The gunshots also threw commercial motorcyclists operating in the area into confusion.
“After a 45-minute operation, the Immigration Service succeeded in arresting a bus-load of foreign nationals illegally in transit. They were no fewer than 50.”
Responding to a question, the source said: “They worked on the suspicion that some Chadians, Nigerien, Malian Tuaregs have made Galadinmawa their first port of call in Abuja.
“I think the recent intelligence report, which linked some foreign nationals with Boko Haram informed the raid.
“Confused residents also believed that the raid may not be unconnected with the manhunt for Boko Haram members in the FCT.
“Even before the raid, most residents of Galadinmawa have not been comfortable with the huge presence of foreign nationals in the area.
Immigration Service spokesman Joachim Olumba, said: “I don’t have any information about that yet. What I can tell you is that our operatives are intensifying surveillance in all the states.
“We are intensifying surveillance because of the security situation in the country. These are not the best of times for us as a nation, but we are determined to ensure that peace and security return to the country.
“This surveillance is not only in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is being carried out in the 36 states.”
It could not be immediately ascertained what has become of those arrested.
An Immigration Service source said: “Normally, when Illegal aliens are arrested, they will undergo security screening before being deported.”
Security around hotels, churches and other strategic areas remained fight in Abuja yesterday.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who went round the city, observed that policemen, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and FRSC officers were in strategic locations to ensure peace.
At Sheraton and Transcorp Hilton hotels, it was observed that some military men were deployed to complement the internal security arrangements of the hotel managements.
At Holy Trinity Catholic Church, THISDAY Dome, St Mathew Anglican Church in the Maitama axis, road blocks were mounted and vehicular movement restricted to secure the areas.
At the dome, one of the policemen, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the idea was to ensure effective monitoring of movement of vehicles.
“As you can see, our major focus is to make sure that those who come here to worship go home safely. We are blocking the road just for safety.
“You can see that people pack their vehicles outside; if we don’t block this road, there will be serious traffic here.’’
At Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, FRSC man Mr Jonah John told NAN that the focus was more on free movement of people at the end of the service.
“What we are doing is part of the security work, but we focus more on ensuring that no accident occurs here.
“You can see that nobody parks inside the church compound; everybody is encouraged to park outside.’’
Security was also strengthened at the Assemblies of God Church in Garki 2 as well as Dunamis Church, Mountain of Fire and Living Faith Church, all in Area 1, Abuja.

Fashola condemns road blockades during First Lady‘s visit

By The Nation: Miriam Ndikanwu

 

 Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State

Governor  Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday condemned Thursday’s traffic jam in Lagos metropolis caused by security operatives who  mounted roadblocks in different areas during the visit of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

The traffic jam, which lasted several hours, grounded business activities across the metropolis, especially on  Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Ahmadu Bello Way  (both in  Victoria Island), Alfred Rewane Road, Awolowo Road (both in Ikoyi), Catholic Mission Street, Igbosere Road and Simpson Street.Thousands of commuters were forced to walk long distances.

Governor Fashola, speaking  at a retreat organised for members of the State Executive Council and Body of Permanent Secretaries in Lagos said: “Lagosians were terribly discomfitured yesterday (Thursday) with the traffic jam, needlessly, if I must say. There is  the need for public officers generally to be more sensitive to the people we serve.

“It is particularly worrisome because this is not an elected person and I think we all, including the security agencies, must know how they pander to our high officers, especially VIP movement, at the risk and expense of citizens and taxpayers whose money was used to fuel all the vehicles  that we used to block the roads against those who pay those money.

“It is an issue that calls for greater sensitivity to the comfort of our citizenry. Yes, I understand the need to protect the VIPs, but it must be done in a way that it doesn’t impoverish.

“It should not get to the level that we shut down the roads in the state because the VIP wants to pass. If they let us know earlier because going through these  roads without shutting them down, traffic can be managed. Nigerians respect their leaders elected or not elected and they will very sensibly and gladly yield to them to go and do their business. But I don’t think they deserve to be kept on the roads, standstill for five hours.”

On the performance of the year 2012 budget, the governor said it recorded 65 per cent performance in the first quarter which was an improvement on the 52 per cent in the corresponding period in 2011.