15112022

36 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022
By Dapo Akinrefon
LAGOS—FOLLOWING the
advice given by the Office of
Directorate of Public
Prosecution, DPP, Lagos, Centre
Against Injustice and Domestic
Violence, CAIDOV, has urged
the Nigeria Police to promptly
arrest Dr Femi Olaleye of
Optimal Cancer Care
Foundation for prosecution over
the case of alleged defilement
against him.
The Medical Practitioner in
Lagos was said to have defiled
his wife's 15 years old niece.
The DPP in its legal advice
dated October 17, 2022, in the
case between the Commissioner
:Vanguard News
:@vanguardnews
Alleged defilement: CAIDOV urges Lagos
Police to arrest, prosecute medical doctor
of Police Vs Olufemi Olaleye, had
told the police to prosecute the
accused person for the offence of
defilement and sexual assault,
contrary to sections 137 and 261
of the Criminal Law Ch C17, Vol
3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.
CAIDOV, yesterday, in a
statement by its Executive
Director, Mr Gbenga Soloki,
described the continuous
flagrant disobedience of the
police to the advice given by the
Office of Directorate of Public
Prosecution, DPP, as "an affront
on the Judiciary."
CAIDOV said that with the
legal advice issued and served
on the Police, via the Office of
the Officer in Charge of Legal
Services, State Criminal
Investigation Department, the
suspect still walks around a free
man when he had been
recommended for prosecution for
child defilement by the DPP.
Soloki, said: "It has become
imperative to intimate the world
of the controversial medical
doctor, Femi Olaleye, who is
alleged to have defiled his wife's
niece. We are using this
opportunity to call on the police
in Lagos State to rise to the
challenge by arresting and
prosecuting the accused person
since the advice from the Office
of the DPP has been served on
the Police through the Office of
the OC Legal."
A'Ibom govt clarifies demolition of market
on Airport Road •Decries miscreants attack
By Chioma
Onuegbu
UYO—AKWA Ibom State
government, yesterday,
clarified that the demolition of Ifa
Ikot Akpan market, on the Airport
Road on Sunday was an
enforcement of the operation
zero tolerance on street trading
and illegal markets it announced
last year.
State Commissioner for
Environment and Solid
Minerals, Mr. Charles Udoh,
who made the clarification in a
statement, yesterday, added that
there had been sustained public
education and awareness
campaign to mitigate the
increasing menace within the
capital city.
Udoh, decried attacks on the
demolition team by miscreants
from the community, which left
four members of team from his
ministry injured.
He noted that "The demolition
exercise was, however,
successful and the environment
given a much-desired face-lift for
the benefit of our people and
befitting of the gateway to a state
capital.
"Our attention has been
drawn to a series of news reports
and videos in circulation on
various platforms which have
deliberately distorted facts in an
attempt to whip up political
sentiments.
"It is, therefore, pertinent to
clarify that on January 21, 2021,
the Akwa Ibom State
By EgufeYafugborhi
PORT HARCOURT —
SECRETARY of Nigerian
Institute of Welding, NIW, Board
of Trustees, Chief Solomon
Eberiri, has faulted Prof. Shehu
Ma'aji on recent comment
accusing NIW of failure in
allowing foreigners takeover
welding jobs on the 4000Km
Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline,
TSGP, while qualified Nigeria
welders roam the labour market.
Ma'aji, Professor of Metallurgy
at the University of Technology,
Minna, had made the comment
at a supposed stakeholders
meeting, last week, of the NIW in
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, a
gathering Edibiri also termed as
unauthorised and its outcome, a
nullity.
He told Vanguard yesterday
that, "The issue of TSGP, has not
been presented in good faith and
not fair to the Federal
Government, by those who held
that ill-advised, unauthorized Port
Harcourt meeting in the name of
NIW stakeholders.
"FG is in agreement with other
countries,which also are providing
right of way to this pipeline that
government through the
Ministry of Environment and
Solid Minerals announced the
commencement of 'operation
zero tolerance on street trading
and illegal markets.
"This was the last in a series of
announcements which came on
the heels of a sustained public
education and awareness
campaign to mitigate the
increasing menace of the
activities of illegal markets and
street traders on major roads and
other highbrow areas in the Uyo
Capital City.
"On November 13, 2022, I led
a demolition team from the
ministry to the Ifa Ikot Akpan
Market on the Airport Road.
"Some miscreants from Ifa Ikot
Akpan, led by a young man who
claims to be the CLO to the
construction company handling
the Airport Road expansion
By Jimitota
Onoyume
WARRI—SOME roads in
Warri, Delta State,has been
closed to traffic for one week from
yesterday.
Chairman of Warri South Local
Government Area of the state,
Dr Michael Tidi, who disclosed
this yesterday, advised motorists
and commercial vehicles to use
alternative routes.
"Ubeji Roundabout, will be
project, assaulted me and
members of the Ministry's
Enforcement Team but were
repelled by law enforcement
officers.
"However, fourmembers of the
team from the Ministry of
Environment and Solid Minerals
were injured in the process. An
attempt by the miscreants to
mount a blockade on the Airport
Road was decisively crushed by
a combined team of law
enforcement agencies. Some of
the miscreants have since been
arrested and those on the run
will be apprehended in due
course"
He noted that there would be
no further announcements and
notices on the demolition
exercise as government has
continually engaged those
involved about their infractions
and the need to leave the said
locations.
Govt announces one week
closure of roads in Warri
closed between 7a.m., and 9a.m.,
while motorists plying that route
are enjoined to use Elizabeth
Close.
"Okere Square will also be
affected by the weeklong closure.
Motorists can use alternate
routes like Eboh Road and Warri
- Sapele Road.
"Edjeba Community Road from
SPDC Gate will also be
temporarily shutdown. Vehicle
owners can use the DBS Warri
route as alternative."
Edebiri faults Ma'aji on NIW interest on TSGP
goes all the way to Algeria,
Morocco and from there to
provide gas to countries in
Europe. So, it is expected that all
countries to provide right of way
for the pipeline will contribute
workforce to the construction
process.
"The agreement to go ahead
with the pipeline has been signed,
but actual work has not
commenced. I'm confident FG
through relevant agencies,
including the Nigerian Content
Development Management
Board, NCDMB, Federal Ministry
of Science and Innovations, those
of Works, Labour, Trade and
Industry and Petroleum
Resources will adequately tackle
the labour engagement process.
"NIW is not responsible to
telling contractors they must
employ Nigerians or foreigners.
The responsibility of NIW is to
work with FG to identify gainful
projects, advise FG on roles
Nigeria can play in such projects
and how Nigerians can benefit
from operations of such projects
in order to earn much needed
foreign exchange and limit capital
flight."
On the said crisis in NIW, Edebiri
said: "There is no crisis. There are
little internal issues that can be
resolved internally. The BOT has
been undermined by some people
and the Ayorinde Adeniyi calling
the purported stakeholders
meeting was a staff of NIW. He is
not a member.
"The people he gathered in Port
Harcourt are not members of NIW,
except for a few, who are dissenting
voices of the BOT that are
probably regretting their actions
by today. The Department of
State Security, DSS, was alerted
on the unauthotised meeting and
the Rivers State Command
invited the Adeniyi. We were also
invited two days later.
"Officers of the Command
clearly identified that the activities
and actions of that meeting were
nullity, and that such should not
be promoted. And going forward,
since we have proposed a General
Meeting for December 17, we
should go ahead with that
meeting and the DSS would be
present to monitor proceedings.
So, anyone with grievances about
NIW and the management
should bring it to the General
Meeting."
Buhari transmits FCT, NDDC budgets,
CCT, constitution alteration bills to Reps
By Levinus Nwabughiogu
A Muhammadu
BUJA-President
Buhari yesterday forwarded
the 2022 budget proposals
of the Federal Capital
Territory, FCT, and that of
the Niger Delta Development
Commission, NDDC,
to the House of Representatives
for consideration
and approval.
Also forwarded were the
Code of Conduct Bureau
and Tribunal, CCT, and the
constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria alteration
bills 2022 to the
House.
Speaker of the House,
Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed
this in
three separate letters
from the President, read at
the resumed plenary of the
House.
The letter read: "Pursuant
to section 121 of the
Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria
1999 as amended, I forward
the Federal Capital
Territory 2022 statutory
budget proposal for the
kind consideration of the
Debt servicing likely to be higher by end of
Dec — DMO DG
By Levinus Nwabughiogu
ABUJA-The Director-
General, Debt
Management Office, DMO,
Ms. Patience Oniha, said
yesterday that there was the
likelihood of debt servicing
becoming higher by the end
of the year, attributing this to
the low revenues earned by
the country.
Appearing before the
House of Representatives
Committee on Debt and
Loans to defend the 2023
budget of the Office, Oniha
said there was the
introduction of a new line,
called ways and means,
2023: Groups task presidential
candidates on fact-based
campaigns
By Cynthia Alo
AS political parties
continue campaign
towards the 2023 general
election, the Professional E-
hailing Driver & Private
Owners Association of
Nigeria, PEDPAN, in
collaboration with Bola
Ahmed Tinubu Youth
Political Forum, BATYPF,
have called on candidates of
political parties to engage
electorate with facts, figures
and statistics.
The groups stated this at
the launch of a book
produced by PEDPAN,
entitled “110 Reasons
Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu
should be President in 2023.''
They noted that most of the
information and news spread
by supporters of other
presidential candidates
concerning the APC
presidential candidate, Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, were fake
and misleading.
Speaking with newsmen
after the launch, speaker of
Lagos House of Assembly,
Mudashiru Obasa, who was
represented by Yishawu
Gbolahan, the member
representing Eti Osa II,
canvassed ssue based
campaigns, following
perceived misconceived
House of Representatives.
"In the preparation of the
Federal Capital Territory's
2022 budget, the Federal
Capital Territory Administration
aligns with the federal
government's fiscal development
policies.
"Accordingly, the FCT
2022 budget proposal priorities
improvement in
healthcare services, job
creation, youth empowerment,
social welfare services,
education and increased
productivity in agriculture
in our determination
to lift 100 million
Nigerians out of poverty.
"We also hope that this
submission will receive the
usual expeditious considerations
of the House."
Also on the NDDC budget,
the letter read: "In accordance
with section
18(1) of the Niger Delta
Development Commission
Establishment Act, I
forward herewith the 2023
estimate of the Niger Delta
Development Commission
for the kind consideration
and passage of the House
where the federal government
borrowed money from the
Central Bank of Nigeria
directly.
She said the international
market had closed its doors
of borrowing, making it
difficult for the country to
borrow.
The DMO DG, however,
said measures were provided
in the 2023 budget to service
the loans, stressing that
Nigeria had not defaulted so
far.
She said: "There is a new
line called Ways and Means
advances. This is a process
where the Federal
Government borrows from
the Central Bank directly.
This has been in the media a
identity and misrepresentation
of the APC presidential
candidate in the media.
He said: “This book is
evident that Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu is accepted at
the grassroots.This is not a
politics of name calling. It is
a politics of facts. So, I say to
the naysayers to campaign
with facts, statistics, and
numbers. Asiwaju is coming
to be the president to
contribute back to the country.
He is not coming to take from
the country.”
Also speaking, the National
President of PEDPAN, Idris -
Shonuga Oluwaseun, said it
was high time Nigerians
rewarded BAT for all his good
deeds by voting for him.
He said: “We believe in fact
based evidence that is why
we published this book in
order to attest on the
capability of Asiwaju. Our
Principal is a capacity
builder. He makes leaders. So
it's a good thing to support a
man who supports and build
potential
“We are doing this to give
our support to governments
to invest more in the youths.
There is a disconnection
between the youths and the
government and we believe
that Asiwaju is capable of
addressing this challenge
looking back at his past
records.''
of Representatives."
On the CCT and the constitution
alteration bills,
President Buhari said the
aim was to ensure effective
performance of the functions
of the Code of Conduct
and assist the Code of
Conduct Tribunal in the
effective and speedy dispensation
of cases.
"Pursuant to section
58(2) of the 1999
Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, I
forward, herewith, the
Code of Conduct and
Tribunal bill 2022 and the
Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria
Alteration bill 2022 for the
kind consideration of the
House of Representatives.
"The constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria
alteration bill 2022
aims to ensure the effective
performance of the
functions of the Code of
Conduct and assist the
Code of Conduct Tribunal
in the effective and speed
dispensation of cases.
lot. It is when the government
runs an over draft with the
Central Bank.
''It is not free, you pay
interest on it. For clarity, the
ways and means are under the
management of the Office of
the Accountant-General but
supervised by the Minister of
Finance.
"In 2022, no provision was
made for payment of interest
on ways and means. But if you
look at the actual, you will
discover that some amount
has been incurred on ways
and means advances. It is not
free. So, we pay interest.
"For domestic debt, the
budget was N2.5 trillion, but
we have spent N1.86 trillion.
External debt is N866 billion,
compared to N1.123 trillion.
The figures are for three
quarters.
''On the Sinking Fund, we
have N286 billion, while ways
and means advances which
was not provided for in the
budget the Central Bank has
charged over a trillion naira
as interest. That is why in the
MTEF/FSP, you discovered
that revenue to debt service
was very high.
"For January to April, we
actually exceeded 100 per
cent of revenue. So, apart
from revenue being very low,
there is this issue of ways and
means advances. So, by the
end of December, debt
services will be higher than
what was budgeted, largely
because of ways and means
advances.
"One thing to add is that
interest rates are going up in
the domestic market and
even internationally, but we
have provided for it in the
2023 projections, including
interest of N1.2 trillion on
ways and means advances. It
was not featuring before, but
we felt it is the right thing to
do since it is a loan which you
are paying separately.
"It is common knowledge
that we are low on revenue.
But what we do as a country
is to make sure it is there in
the budget and there is
seamless process for it. So, in
terms of debt servicing,
provisions are made in the
budget to service the loan and
so far, we have not recorded
any default.''