Makarfi-led PDP wants Modu Sheriff arrested

The leadership of the Ahmed Makarfi-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Inspector General of Police to immediately order the arrest and prosecution of a factional chairman of the party, Modu Sheriff.

The party accuses Mr. Sheriff of disobeying a court ruling, by conducting a separate Edo State governorship primaries, and issuing a certificate of return to Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

The party said Mr. Iduoriyekemwen should also be arrested and charged alongside Mr. Makarfi for contempt.

The party, in a statement Wednesday, by Dayo Adeyeye, said Mr. Sheriff’s decision to issue a certificate of return after a court judgment on Monday, was utter disobedience and disrespect for court judgment and should not be treated with levity.

“We are shocked at the attitude of the former National Chairman of our great Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff who has become an authority in the Country with flagrant disobedience of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act and the PDP Constitution without being arrested or detained by security agencies. Is he above the law? If we may ask,” Mr. Adeyeye said.

The party said Justice Abdullah Liman’s Judgment on the 4th of July, 2016 is superior to all other court rulings, ex-parte orders or interlocutory injunctions procured by Mr. Sheriff.

“You will recall that Senator Sheriff in collaboration with some APC Governors and members invaded our Party Secretariat on Monday June 13, 2016 laying claims to a non-existing Court Order; and he has started again after a competent Court issued a Judgment upholding the decision of our National Convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State which constituted the PDP National Caretaker Committee to pilot the affairs of the Party for 90 days, and to conduct another Convention that will elect new officers of the Party. Following this, we are calling on the Police to do the needful by arresting Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, his co-travelers and Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen for disobeying Court Judgment”.

The party said the law as it stands only recognizes Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the authentic and only candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 10, 2016 Election in the State.

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Court insists Nigeria must account for recovered loot

The Federal High Court, Lagos has insisted on enforcement of the judgment ordering the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to publish widely the spending of recovered stolen funds since the return of democracy in 1999.

The details of the judgment are contained in the certified true copy sent by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP to Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

The 69-page judgment, dated March 24, 2016 and signed by Justice Mohammed Idris, reads in part: “Transparency in the decision making process and access to information upon which decisions have been made can enhance accountability.”

“Obedience to the rule of law by all citizens but more particularly those who publicly took oath of office to protect and preserve the Constitution is a desideratum to good governance and respect for the rule of law. In a constitutional democracy like ours, this is meant to be the norm.”

“I am of the view that on receipt of SERAP request, the government had the duty to respond to same. If it does hold the information it must supply it within 7 days from receipt of the request. Where a decision to withhold information is taken, the government/relevant authorities must inform the plaintiff of its reason. In respect of the SERAP reliefs on recovered stolen funds since return of democracy in 1999, the government had kept mute. Let me say that they have no such power under the law.”

“There is public interest in public authorities and high-profile individuals being accountable for the quality of their decision making. Ensuring that decisions have been made on the basis of quality legal advice is part of accountability.”

“The judiciary has no choice but to enforce compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. There is no doubt that the FOI Act is intended to act as a catalyst for change in the way public authorities approach and manage public resources and records. The judiciary cannot shirk its sacred responsibility to the nation to maintain the rule of law.”

“I am of the view and do hold that the action should and does succeed in whole. Documents relating to the receipt or expenditure on recovered stolen funds since return of democracy in 1999 constitute part of the information which a public institution and authority is obligated to publish, disseminate and make available to members of the public. The government has no legally justifiable reason for refusing to provide SERAP with the information requested, and therefore, this Court ought to compel the government to comply with the Freedom of Information Act, as the government is not above the law.”

“Examples of cases where there may be a public interest in the disclosure of confidential information include: 1. Information revealing misconduct/mismanagement of public funds. 2. Information which shows that a particular contract is bad value for money. 3. Where the information would correct untrue statements or misleading acts on the part of public authorities or high-profile individuals.”

“Freedom of Information Act 2011 is meant to enhance and promote democracy, transparency, justice and development. It is designed to change how government works, because we have all resolved that it will no longer be business as usual. What is done officially must be done in accordance with the law. Although the Freedom of Information Act requires no explicit public interest test, an assessment of public interest must still be made. Therefore, all public institutions and authorities must ensure that they prepare themselves for the effective implementation of the Freedom of Information Act.”

“Disclosure of the information will not constitute an actionable breach of confidence if there is a public interest in disclosure which outweighs the public interest in keeping the information confidential. There is a public interest in ensuring public scrutiny of public authorities. If the exemption under the Freedom of Information Act is wrongly applied and information is incorrectly withheld, a public authority may face sanctions under the Act for not complying with the duty to provide information.”

In its letter to Mr Malami, SERAP asked the minister to “ensure and facilitate full, effective and timely enforcement and implementation of the judgment by Honourable Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos. The judgment ordered the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to publish up-to-date information on the spending of recovered stolen funds since the return of civilian rule in 1999.”

SERAP also said “Given the relative newness of the Buhari government, the effective enforcement and implementation of the judgment will invariably involve setting up a mechanism by the government to invite the leadership and high-ranking officials of the governments of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and former President Goodluck Jonathan to explain, clarify and provide evidence on the amounts of stolen funds recovered by their respective governments (from abroad and within Nigeria), and the projects (including their locations) on which the funds were spent.”

“SERAP therefore believes that the swift enforcement and implementation of this landmark judgment by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will be litmus test for the President’s oft-repeated commitments to transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption, and for the effectiveness of the Freedom of Information Act in general,” the organisation also said.

The organisation said “The enforcement and implementation of the judgment should not be delayed as to do this is to continue to frustrate the victims of corruption in the country since the return of democracy in 1999, and will threaten to undermine the authority of our judicial system.

“SERAP trusts that you will see compliance with this judgment as a central aspect of the rule of law; an essential stepping stone to constructing a basic institutional framework for legality, constitutionality, the rule of law practice and culture in the country. We therefore look forward to your positive response and action on the judgment,” the organisation concluded.

Recall that the court in suit no:FHC/IKJ/CS/248/2011 entered judgment in favour of SERAP against the Federal Government as follows:

A DECLARATION is hereby made that the failure and/or refusal of the Respondents to individually and/or collectively disclose detailed information about the spending of recovered stolen public funds since the return of civil rule in 1999, and to publish widely such information, including on a dedicated website, amounts to a breach of the fundamental principles of transparency and accountability and violates Articles 9, 21 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act

A DECLARATION is hereby made that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the 1st Defendant/Respondent is under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff/Applicant with up to date information on the spending of recovered stolen funds, including:
(a) Detailed information on the total amount of recovered stolen public assets that have so far been recovered by Nigeria

(b) The amount that has been spent from the recovered stolen public assets and the objects of such spending

(c) Details of projects on which recovered stolen public assets were spent

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The Federal High Court, Lagos has insisted on enforcement of the judgment ordering the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to publish widely the spending of recovered stolen funds since the return of democracy in 1999.

The details of the judgment are contained in the certified true copy sent by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP to Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

The 69-page judgment, dated March 24, 2016 and signed by Justice Mohammed Idris, reads in part: “Transparency in the decision making process and access to information upon which decisions have been made can enhance accountability.”

“Obedience to the rule of law by all citizens but more particularly those who publicly took oath of office to protect and preserve the Constitution is a desideratum to good governance and respect for the rule of law. In a constitutional democracy like ours, this is meant to be the norm.”

“I am of the view that on receipt of SERAP request, the government had the duty to respond to same. If it does hold the information it must supply it within 7 days from receipt of the request. Where a decision to withhold information is taken, the government/relevant authorities must inform the plaintiff of its reason. In respect of the SERAP reliefs on recovered stolen funds since return of democracy in 1999, the government had kept mute. Let me say that they have no such power under the law.”

“There is public interest in public authorities and high-profile individuals being accountable for the quality of their decision making. Ensuring that decisions have been made on the basis of quality legal advice is part of accountability.”

“The judiciary has no choice but to enforce compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. There is no doubt that the FOI Act is intended to act as a catalyst for change in the way public authorities approach and manage public resources and records. The judiciary cannot shirk its sacred responsibility to the nation to maintain the rule of law.”

“I am of the view and do hold that the action should and does succeed in whole. Documents relating to the receipt or expenditure on recovered stolen funds since return of democracy in 1999 constitute part of the information which a public institution and authority is obligated to publish, disseminate and make available to members of the public. The government has no legally justifiable reason for refusing to provide SERAP with the information requested, and therefore, this Court ought to compel the government to comply with the Freedom of Information Act, as the government is not above the law.”

“Examples of cases where there may be a public interest in the disclosure of confidential information include: 1. Information revealing misconduct/mismanagement of public funds. 2. Information which shows that a particular contract is bad value for money. 3. Where the information would correct untrue statements or misleading acts on the part of public authorities or high-profile individuals.”

“Freedom of Information Act 2011 is meant to enhance and promote democracy, transparency, justice and development. It is designed to change how government works, because we have all resolved that it will no longer be business as usual. What is done officially must be done in accordance with the law. Although the Freedom of Information Act requires no explicit public interest test, an assessment of public interest must still be made. Therefore, all public institutions and authorities must ensure that they prepare themselves for the effective implementation of the Freedom of Information Act.”

“Disclosure of the information will not constitute an actionable breach of confidence if there is a public interest in disclosure which outweighs the public interest in keeping the information confidential. There is a public interest in ensuring public scrutiny of public authorities. If the exemption under the Freedom of Information Act is wrongly applied and information is incorrectly withheld, a public authority may face sanctions under the Act for not complying with the duty to provide information.”

In its letter to Mr Malami, SERAP asked the minister to “ensure and facilitate full, effective and timely enforcement and implementation of the judgment by Honourable Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos. The judgment ordered the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to publish up-to-date information on the spending of recovered stolen funds since the return of civilian rule in 1999.”

SERAP also said “Given the relative newness of the Buhari government, the effective enforcement and implementation of the judgment will invariably involve setting up a mechanism by the government to invite the leadership and high-ranking officials of the governments of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and former President Goodluck Jonathan to explain, clarify and provide evidence on the amounts of stolen funds recovered by their respective governments (from abroad and within Nigeria), and the projects (including their locations) on which the funds were spent.”

“SERAP therefore believes that the swift enforcement and implementation of this landmark judgment by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will be litmus test for the President’s oft-repeated commitments to transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption, and for the effectiveness of the Freedom of Information Act in general,” the organisation also said.

The organisation said “The enforcement and implementation of the judgment should not be delayed as to do this is to continue to frustrate the victims of corruption in the country since the return of democracy in 1999, and will threaten to undermine the authority of our judicial system.

“SERAP trusts that you will see compliance with this judgment as a central aspect of the rule of law; an essential stepping stone to constructing a basic institutional framework for legality, constitutionality, the rule of law practice and culture in the country. We therefore look forward to your positive response and action on the judgment,” the organisation concluded.

Recall that the court in suit no:FHC/IKJ/CS/248/2011 entered judgment in favour of SERAP against the Federal Government as follows:

A DECLARATION is hereby made that the failure and/or refusal of the Respondents to individually and/or collectively disclose detailed information about the spending of recovered stolen public funds since the return of civil rule in 1999, and to publish widely such information, including on a dedicated website, amounts to a breach of the fundamental principles of transparency and accountability and violates Articles 9, 21 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act

A DECLARATION is hereby made that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the 1st Defendant/Respondent is under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff/Applicant with up to date information on the spending of recovered stolen funds, including:
(a) Detailed information on the total amount of recovered stolen public assets that have so far been recovered by Nigeria

(b) The amount that has been spent from the recovered stolen public assets and the objects of such spending

(c) Details of projects on which recovered stolen public assets were spent

AN ORDER OF MANDAMUS is made directing and or compelling the Defendants/Respondents to provide the Plaintiff/Applicant with up to date information on recovered stolen funds since the return of civilian rule in 1999, including:
(a) Detailed information on the total amount of recovered stolen public assets that have so far been recovered by Nigeria
(b) The amount that has been spent from the recovered stolen public assets and the objects of such spending

(c)
Details of projects on which recovered stolen public assets were spent

The Federal High Court, Lagos has insisted on enforcement of the judgment ordering the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to publish widely the spending of recovered stolen funds since the return of democracy in 1999.

The details of the judgment are contained in the certified true copy sent by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP to Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

The 69-page judgment, dated March 24, 2016 and signed by Justice Mohammed Idris, reads in part: “Transparency in the decision making process and access to information upon which decisions have been made can enhance accountability.”

“Obedience to the rule of law by all citizens but more particularly those who publicly took oath of office to protect and preserve the Constitution is a desideratum to good governance and respect for the rule of law. In a constitutional democracy like ours, this is meant to be the norm.”

“I am of the view that on receipt of SERAP request, the government had the duty to respond to same. If it does hold the information it must supply it within 7 days from receipt of the request. Where a decision to withhold information is taken, the government/relevant authorities must inform the plaintiff of its reason. In respect of the SERAP reliefs on recovered stolen funds since return of democracy in 1999, the government had kept mute. Let me say that they have no such power under the law.”

“There is public interest in public authorities and high-profile individuals being accountable for the quality of their decision making. Ensuring that decisions have been made on the basis of quality legal advice is part of accountability.”

“The judiciary has no choice but to enforce compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. There is no doubt that the FOI Act is intended to act as a catalyst for change in the way public authorities approach and manage public resources and records. The judiciary cannot shirk its sacred responsibility to the nation to maintain the rule of law.”

“I am of the view and do hold that the action should and does succeed in whole. Documents relating to the receipt or expenditure on recovered stolen funds since return of democracy in 1999 constitute part of the information which a public institution and authority is obligated to publish, disseminate and make available to members of the public. The government has no legally justifiable reason for refusing to provide SERAP with the information requested, and therefore, this Court ought to compel the government to comply with the Freedom of Information Act, as the government is not above the law.”

“Examples of cases where there may be a public interest in the disclosure of confidential information include: 1. Information revealing misconduct/mismanagement of public funds. 2. Information which shows that a particular contract is bad value for money. 3. Where the information would correct untrue statements or misleading acts on the part of public authorities or high-profile individuals.”

“Freedom of Information Act 2011 is meant to enhance and promote democracy, transparency, justice and development. It is designed to change how government works, because we have all resolved that it will no longer be business as usual. What is done officially must be done in accordance with the law. Although the Freedom of Information Act requires no explicit public interest test, an assessment of public interest must still be made. Therefore, all public institutions and authorities must ensure that they prepare themselves for the effective implementation of the Freedom of Information Act.”

“Disclosure of the information will not constitute an actionable breach of confidence if there is a public interest in disclosure which outweighs the public interest in keeping the information confidential. There is a public interest in ensuring public scrutiny of public authorities. If the exemption under the Freedom of Information Act is wrongly applied and information is incorrectly withheld, a public authority may face sanctions under the Act for not complying with the duty to provide information.”

In its letter to Mr Malami, SERAP asked the minister to “ensure and facilitate full, effective and timely enforcement and implementation of the judgment by Honourable Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos. The judgment ordered the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to publish up-to-date information on the spending of recovered stolen funds since the return of civilian rule in 1999.”

SERAP also said “Given the relative newness of the Buhari government, the effective enforcement and implementation of the judgment will invariably involve setting up a mechanism by the government to invite the leadership and high-ranking officials of the governments of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and former President Goodluck Jonathan to explain, clarify and provide evidence on the amounts of stolen funds recovered by their respective governments (from abroad and within Nigeria), and the projects (including their locations) on which the funds were spent.”

“SERAP therefore believes that the swift enforcement and implementation of this landmark judgment by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will be litmus test for the President’s oft-repeated commitments to transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption, and for the effectiveness of the Freedom of Information Act in general,” the organisation also said.

The organisation said “The enforcement and implementation of the judgment should not be delayed as to do this is to continue to frustrate the victims of corruption in the country since the return of democracy in 1999, and will threaten to undermine the authority of our judicial system.

“SERAP trusts that you will see compliance with this judgment as a central aspect of the rule of law; an essential stepping stone to constructing a basic institutional framework for legality, constitutionality, the rule of law practice and culture in the country. We therefore look forward to your positive response and action on the judgment,” the organisation concluded.

Recall that the court in suit no:FHC/IKJ/CS/248/2011 entered judgment in favour of SERAP against the Federal Government as follows:

A DECLARATION is hereby made that the failure and/or refusal of the Respondents to individually and/or collectively disclose detailed information about the spending of recovered stolen public funds since the return of civil rule in 1999, and to publish widely such information, including on a dedicated website, amounts to a breach of the fundamental principles of transparency and accountability and violates Articles 9, 21 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act

A DECLARATION is hereby made that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the 1st Defendant/Respondent is under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff/Applicant with up to date information on the spending of recovered stolen funds, including:
(a) Detailed information on the total amount of recovered stolen public assets that have so far been recovered by Nigeria

(b) The amount that has been spent from the recovered stolen public assets and the objects of such spending

(c) Details of projects on which recovered stolen public assets were spent

AN ORDER OF MANDAMUS is made directing and or compelling the Defendants/Respondents to provide the Plaintiff/Applicant with up to date information on recovered stolen funds since the return of civilian rule in 1999, including:

(a) Detailed information on the total amount of recovered stolen public assets that have so far been recovered by Nigeria
(b) The amount that has been spent from the recovered stolen public assets and the objects of such spending

(c) Details of projects on which recovered stolen public assets were spent

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Boko Haram arms manufacturer, gunrunner arrested

The State Security Service has announced the arrest of a man it said manufactures and procures arms for the extremist Boko Haram sect.

In a statement Saturday, the agency said “Musa Garba Abubakar (Engr) aka Muhadis Musa Bin Haddad, was arrested at Jos, Plateau State, during a special tactical operation.

Mr. Abubakar, the SSS said, “is a major gun fabricator, arms-runner and a covert linkman/courier for the Boko Haram group.”

The statement added, “During his arrest, two pistols, 80 rounds of live ammunition and several sensitive documents were recovered from him.

“In a bid to employ propaganda to manipulate the international community against the efforts of the Federal Government, in the ongoing war against terror in the North-West region, Musa (Mr. Abubakar) had approached a foreign mission in Nigeria for logistics and financial support to fight the Boko Haram.

“However, unknown to the mission, he is actually an unauthorized gun-maker/runner with intent for mischief and communal strife in the North Central region.”

Read full statement below.

DSS Arrests Gun Fabricator for Boko Haram

The Department of State Services (DSS) wish to inform the public that in line with its statutory mandate, and avowed commitment to national security, the Service has continued to record positive milestones in strategic and tactical operations embarked upon across the country.

On 2nd March, 2016, one Musa Garba ABUBAKAR (Engr) aka Muhadis Musa Bin HADDAD, was arrested at Jos, Plateau State, during a special tactical operation by the Service. ABUBAKAR is a major gun fabricator, arms-runner and a covert linkman/courier for the Boko Haram group.

During his arrest, 2 pistols, 80 rounds of live ammunition and several sensitive documents were recovered from him. In a bid to employ propaganda to manipulate the international community against the efforts of the Federal Government, in the ongoing war against terror in the North-West region, MUSA had approached a foreign mission in Nigeria for logistics and financial support to fight the Boko Haram. However, unknown to the mission, he is actually an unauthorized gun-maker/runner with intent for mischief and communal strife in the North Central region.

In furtherance of exploited leads, this Service apprehended other suspected associates of the gun-runner, namely: Umar Khalil MUHAMMED and Mohammed Yakubu TAHIR aka Mallam YARO, on 2nd March, 2016. MUHAMMED was arrested at Layin Oscar in Jos South LGA, while TAHIR was picked up at Mista Ali area, along Jos-Zaria road in Bassa LGA. The duo are accomplices and active marketers of ABUBAKAR and his products to criminal elements in the North-Central region of the Country.

In strengthening its counter-terrorism strategy, the Service also arrested one Armaya’u YAKUBU aka Ali Tekwando, Yakubu SULE and Usman IBRAHIM on 3rd March, 2016, at Hayin Danmani area in Kaduna metropolis. The trio were members of an extremist cell under the coordination of YAKUBU, with affiliation to the proscribed extremist group, ANSARU and have been perfecting plans to travel to Sudan, for terrorist training with other radical elements of the group.

The Service wish to reemphasize its resolve to sustain the fight against organized vices and criminalities by terrorists, kidnappers, fraudsters and other deviant elements in the Country. The Service also wish to urge law abiding Nigerians and indeed, all residents to continue to support law enforcement/security agencies, with proactive and actionable intelligence, for the sustenance of peace, law and order.

TONY OPUIYO
Department of State Services,
Abuja
5th March, 2016

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IMF staff concludes visit to Turkmenistan

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mr. Björn Rother visited Ashgabat from November 4-10, 2015, to assess macroeconomic developments and discussed economic challenges and policy priorities with senior government officials, Parliamentarians, representatives of the private sector, and the diplomatic community. The visit also focused on identifying key themes for the 2016 Article IV Consultation mission, which is scheduled to take place in the spring.

At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Rother issued the following statement:

“Turkmenistan has experienced strong output growth over the past decade. The authorities used a period of high prices for oil and natural gas to more than double per capita income through well-planned development of the hydro-carbon sector that enabled large-scale public investment, including in the social areas. Moreover, a large part of export receipts was saved as reserves, which in October 2015 stood at 30 months of import cover. At the same time, diversification and private sector development to create more productive jobs for the country’s young population and hence improve inclusiveness remain challenges that the government recently identified as policy priorities.

“Since 2014, three shocks have led to a worsened external environment for Central Asian countries and will likely have long-lasting effects. Oil and natural gas prices have plummeted and are expected to stay at low levels over the longer term, economic activity in major trading partners including Russia and China has been slowing, and pressures on currencies have intensified. As a result, the region has started to suffer from a significant slowdown of GDP growth, weaker current account positions, a series of exchange rate depreciations, and deteriorating health of many countries’ financial sectors.

“For Turkmenistan, the triple economic shocks are expected to lead to a decline in GDP growth from 10 percent in 2014 to about 7 percent in 2015 and 6 percent in 2016 mostly due to flat natural gas and oil production as well as reduced budgetary investment. Inflation should remain in the mid-single digits given weaker activity. As a result of lower revenues from hydrocarbon exports, the external current account as well as fiscal balances are expected to weaken.

“The Turkmen authorities’ initial policy response to the triple economic shocks has been determined. The authorities have started to improve efficiency of budget execution and reduce spending in line with shrinking revenues and strengthened banking sector regulation and supervision, including on open foreign positions. In addition, the economic diversification strategy in combination with the January 2015 devaluation has already given strong impetus to some industries, in particular natural gas processing and agri-business.

“Going forward, substantial resources accumulated in the foreign reserve fund and the stabilization fund will allow Turkmenistan to adjust to the current challenges in an orderly and gradual way. The adjustment needs to further strengthen the country’s resilience to external shocks and help maintain high GDP growth rates—higher than elsewhere in the CCA region—over a likely multi-year period of lower energy prices. To this end, reforms should be consistent with market-based principles.

“Policy priorities to strengthen resilience comprise further consolidating fiscal spending and improving its quality, including through additional steps to reform energy subsidies while providing effective safety nets for the most vulnerable; maintaining adequate credit levels to the economy while avoiding excessive build-up of risks; preparing the infrastructure for a gradual move towards a more flexible exchange rate in the longer term; and improving communication of economic developments and policies as well as data dissemination. Maintaining high and inclusive GDP growth will require the continuation and acceleration of strong efforts in support of a more diversified economy with a dynamic private sector, in cooperation with external partners; phasing out directed lending over the next years and transition to more market-based monetary and financial sectors; and steps to strengthen the business climate and governance, notably for managing hydrocarbon revenues.

“The IMF stands ready to support the government’s reform efforts through policy advice and capacity building, including on macroeconomic statistics, monetary policy operations, and fiscal policy.

“The team would like to underscore the excellent, cooperative relationship between Turkmenistan and the IMF, and would like to thank the authorities and other counterparts for their warm hospitality and productive discussions.”

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Nigerian Ports Authority advocates improved infrastructure to facilitate export

The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Habib Abdulahi, has advocated for the provision of adequate port infrastructure by the Federal Government and the private sector to facilitate export activities through the nation’s seaports.

He, however, pointed out that other factors which might be extraneous to the Authority are also critical towards achieving enhanced export activities in the nation’s seaports.

Stressing that the provision of appropriate port infrastructure was necessary to enhance trade in the economy,  Mr. Habib assures that the Authority would encourage any effort designed to change the trade orientation of the nation from import dependent to export.

The Managing Director was speaking through the General Manager Capital Project, Rufai Mohammed, in a paper titled “Providing Enabling Port Infrastructure to Enhance Trade” at the just concluded two day International Seatrade and Investment Convention (ISIC) 2015, under the theme “Exploring New Trade Frontiers”.

He reiterated that as globally accepted seaports accounts for over 80 per cent by volume of International trade and commerce, for a seaport to be competitive, it must have a robust infrastructural base amongst other requirements.

He argued that with the major infrastructural improvements embarked upon by the Authority in its ports and harbour in all its four pilotage districts, coupled with the impending 25-year port master plan which has reached an advanced stage, the organisation is being positioned to properly meet the demand of all categories of port users for both imports and exports.

Mr. Habib explained that mindful of the Federal Government’s determination of delivering an efficient port system for the overall good of the nation’s economy, the Authority was consolidating and entrenching the gains of the port reform by facilitating and synergizing the activities of the Private Terminal Operators, Shipping Lines, Freight Forwarders and other stakeholders, as well as improving the existing port infrastructure.

The Managing Director, who enumerated a number of completed and on-going capital projects embarked upon by the Authority, explained that the projects were meant to add efficiency to the nation’s seaports as well as to make the system competitive, effective and user friendly.

“Sustained efforts at providing the enabling port infrastructure has impacted on the overall port operational efficiency”, he added.

In his goodwill message at the opening ceremony of the convention, the Managing Director had commended the conveyors of the event, being the first of its kind in nation’s maritime industry for their foresight and said the event would not have come at a better than now “as the nation strives to promote export trade, in that way changing the orientation of our nations sea trade which is import dependent”.

I. Ebubeogu
General Manager, Public Affairs

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Enough of the theatrics, go to court Amaechi tells Wike

As we expected, the Commission of Inquiry set up by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to supposedly probe the immediate past Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi did not disappoint. The panel lived up to expectations as a shambolic inquisition panel set up to indict Amaechi.

Crudely, without any sense of finesse or attempt to disguise its mission to ‘hack down Amaechi’, the panel lead by Justice Omereji did the bidding of its paymaster. As we earlier warned it turned out to be a comedy, a circus show to grab media headlines with bogus, phantom, and fabricated claims of corrupt practices by former Governor Amaechi and officials of his administration. It achieved nothing beyond political excitements, entertainment, and theatrics.

At every point during the public hearing, Justice Omereji clearly showed his bias and his determination to indict Amaechi and officials of his administration. Most times, the panel chairman simply concluded that they are corrupt, even before all the facts are made known to the panel, even before all sides have been heard. On one occasion, Omereji said he wished the panel had the powers of a court so he could lock up, perhaps for life, these so called corrupt officials.

Witnesses invited by the panel were coerced, directed, ordered and told in clear terms, sometimes with written notes from the commission staff, what not to say and what to say. The chairman of the panel prevented counsels to those invited, from asking relevant questions that are likely to deviate and detract from their pre-determined agenda and conclusion. Lawyers and witnesses invited by the panel were constantly intimidated, harassed and bullied. Witnesses were constantly bullied to toe the line of the commission pre-determined agenda and conclusion. The panel chairman was ordering witnesses not to answer questions that would expose the commission’s bias to indict Amaechi.

Indeed, the Wike panel was an inquisition against Amaechi. Wike should go to court if he has any case of alleged corrupt activities against Amaechi. His panel is not and can never be a law court.

Wike’s regular childish tantrums, theatrics, comedy and drama of screaming huge bogus and phantom figures of missing or stolen or misappropriated billions of naira by the Amaechi administration have become a silly and sickening distraction. Mr. Wike, since you do not know and none of your coterie of court-jesters is bold enough to tell you, we will tell you; you sound like a broken record. Our polity can certainly do without this madness.

CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI MEDIA OFFICE

October 10, 2015

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Wole Soyinka Centre calls for entries for investigative journalism award

The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, WSCIJ, invites entries from Nigerian reporters for the 10th Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting from October 4, 2015. The award programme, true to its tradition, will honour works that involve reporting on public and/or corporate corruption, human rights abuses or on the failure of regulatory agencies.

This year, the award plans to reward outstanding reporters from print, radio, television, online, photography and editorial cartoon categories. The submitted stories must have first been published or broadcast in a Nigerian media between 4th October 2014 and 3rd October 2015.

In addition to the entry coding system which makes the details of media house and by-line of entrants anonymous to judges introduced in 2012, the WSCIJ now converts entries to electronic format before sending to judges. The electronic entries system is helping to ease scoring for judges and enable the inclusion of persons from across Nigeria and abroad to participate in the judging process.

Entries will be scored by a panel of judges drawn from the media and related professions who are passionate about investigative reporting. Overall, judges will be looking for ethical reporting, courage, individual creativity and public benefit.

Interested reporters may visit www.wscij.org for details of the 2015 award. The deadline for submission of entries is 4 p.m. on Friday, October 23, 2015.

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IMF Releases 2015 Financial Access Survey Data

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released today the results of the sixth annual Financial Access Survey (FAS). The FAS is the global supply-side source of data on access to, and use of, basic consumer financial services by resident households and nonfinancial corporations. The FAS has been conducted annually since 2010 with generous financial support provided by the Netherlands, the Australian Agency for International Development, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The FAS is a global survey that provides geographic and demographic data, offering a strong quantitative underpinning to research on the link between financial inclusion and economic growth. FAS is one of the data sources used in the recent IMF Staff Discussion Note entitled “Financial Inclusion: Can It Meet Multiple Macroeconomic Goals?,” which concluded that there is a positive link between various aspects of financial inclusion and growth, such as from better access to credit for small-and medium-sized firms; access to banking services for a wider number of households, including use of credit cards; and the use of bank accounts to receive wages. In addition to providing policy makers, researchers, regulators, and financial services providers with data on access to, and use of, basic consumer financial services worldwide, the FAS is an officially recognized data source for the Group of Twenty (G-20) Basic Set of Financial Inclusion Indicators endorsed by the G-20 Leaders at the Los Cabos Summit in June 2012.

The 2015 round had a response rate of 92 percent, with 174 reporting jurisdictions. The overall coverage of the survey indicators increased further relative to the previous round. In addition, 42 countries reported data on mobile money, compared with 35 countries earlier.

The FAS results are posted on the IMF’s FAS website ( http://fas.imf.org ) for public dissemination free of charge. The FAS database contains 152 time series resulting in 47 basic indicators which are grouped by geographic outreach of financial services, and use of financial services. The database currently contains annual data and metadata for 189 jurisdictions covering an eleven-year period (2004–2014).

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Independence Day Message

FULL TEXT OF THE 55TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON OCTOBER 1, 2015

October 1st is a day for joy and celebrations for us Nigerians whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago; we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness.

No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honoring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet. We have in addition:

· Arable land
· Water
· Forests
· Oil and gas
· Coastline
· Solid minerals

We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress.

Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of purpose.

Nonetheless, that we have remained together is an achievement we should all appreciate and try to consolidate. We have witnessed this year a sea change in our democratic development. The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system. Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences.

As I said in my inaugural speech, I bear no ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.

My countrymen and women, every new government inherits problems. Ours was no different. But what Nigerians want are solutions, quick solutions not a recitation of problems inherited. Accordingly, after consultations with the Vice President, senior party leaders and other senior stakeholders, I quickly got down to work on the immediate, medium-term and long-term problems which we must solve if we are to maintain the confidence which Nigerians so generously bestowed on us in the March elections and since then.

As you know, I toured the neighboring countries, marshal a coalition of armed forces of the five nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram. I met also the G7 leaders and other friendly presidents in an effort to build an international coalition against Boko Haram. Our gallant armed forces under new leadership have taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run. That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as I.D.P. camps is indicative of their cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places.

On power, government officials have held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost effective way. In the meantime, improvement in the power supply is moderately encouraging. By the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country. All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better.

Preliminary steps have been taken to sanitize NNPC and improve its operations so that the inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum. Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped.

In addition to NNPC, I have ordered for a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation. Prudent housekeeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources that is important.

We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing.

At an early stage, the federal government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, a situation capable of degenerating into social unrest. The APC government stepped in to provide short-term support to the owing states and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the livelihood of millions of Nigerians.

Fellow Nigerians, there have been a lot of anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in announcement of ministers. There is no cause to be anxious. Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over. Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal Government structure after studying the hand over notes. It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalized the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.

Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course. Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for CHANGE is all about.

I would like to end my address this morning on our agenda for CHANGE. Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring CHANGE about. We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behavior in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.

Happy Independence Celebrations. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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FG declares Thursday public holiday

The Federal Government has declared Thursday, October 1, 2015 as public holiday to mark the Nigeria’s 55th Independence celebration.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abubakar Magaji, made the declaration on behalf of the federal government in a statement Monday by the Ministry’s Director of Press, Yusuf Isiaka.

The permanent secretary, who congratulated all Nigerians both at home and abroad, also thanked them for their support for President Muhammadu Buhari in his efforts towards building a peaceful, united and virile nation.

He further urged them to use the occasion to pray for peace and unity across the country.

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IMF welcomes the Riksbank’s swap agreement with the National Bank of Ukraine

Mr. David Lipton, First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), made the following statement today:

“The IMF welcomes the recently concluded swap agreement between the Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden’s Central Bank) and the National Bank of Ukraine. The agreement, in an amount of up to US$500 million for a six month period, provides important financial support for the success of Ukraine’s economic reform program, in addition to financial commitments from the IMF and other multilateral and bilateral creditors.

“In a difficult environment, macroeconomic stabilization is taking hold in Ukraine on the back of strong policies and the economy shows signs of turning the corner. The swap agreement with the Riksbank will reinforce confidence in Ukraine’s continued progress in restoring stability.”

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President Buhari condoles families of Nigerian victims of crane collapse in Mecca

President Muhammadu Buhari extends heartfelt condolences to the families, relations and friends of the Nigerian victims of the crane accident in Mecca on Friday which claimed so many lives.

President Buhari similarly commiserates with the Governments and people of Kaduna, Katsina and Gombe States from where pilgrims who lost their lives hailed.

The President urges all Nigerians to join him in praying for the quick and full recovery of their compatriots who were injured in the unfortunate incident.

He also prays that Almighty Allah will accept the souls of the departed Nigerians who died a glorious death in the service of God.

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Nigerian troops nab Boko Haram’s major drugs, logistics suppliers — Army

The Nigerian army on Tuesday said its troops “have intercepted and arrested some kingpins and foot soldiers of suppliers of Boko Haram terrorists with hard drugs and other stimulants between Depchi and Geidam, Geidam Local Government Area in northern part of Yobe State”.

A statement by army spokesperson, Sani Usman, said the suppliers were arrested troops of 3 Division Tuesday, following directives by army headquarters to troops  in the North East for a painstaking search of motorists and cargoes.

The arrested persons, according to Mr. Usman, a colonel, were also  engaged in the supply of fuel in addition to hard drugs such as Cannabis (Indian Hemp), Chlorofone substance (AKA  Madaran suck and die) and Tramol, amongst others.

Mr. Usman added, “You will recall that sometimes ago we reported that ironically most of the Boko Haram terrorists captured by Nigerian military cannot read the Holy Qur’an, some of them cannot even recite the first chapter- Suratuh Al-Fatiha and yet they claimed they wanted to establish an ‘Islamic State’.

“When the Nigerian military captured their bases and training camps, they never found Qur’an or other Islamic books, what were mostly found were ammunition, local charms, condoms and all sorts of drugs, including sex enhancing ones in their enclaves.

“The arrest of these drug suppliers has reinforced that fact, more so as they have been making very useful statements.

“The Nigerian Army would continue to do its best in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in our country in order to make Nigeria safe and secure.

“This however, requires continuous support and cooperation of the public. We always welcome and appreciate information that could lead to the arrest and pre-empting of Boko Haram terrorists and other criminal elements in the society.”

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Buhari off to Ghana, to meet President Mahama

President Muhammadu Buhari will undertake a one-day official visit to Accra, the Ghanaian capital tomorrow, Monday, September 7, 2015.

During the visit, President Buhari will confer with his Ghanaian counterpart, President John Dramani Mahama, on bilateral relations, regional security, trade and other issues of common interest to Nigeria, Ghana and other members of the Economic Community of West African States.

The President is also expected to meet with members of the Nigerian community in Ghana and entrepreneurs before returning to Abuja on Monday evening.

He will be accompanied to Accra by the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), and the Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Justice and Industry, Trade and Investment.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President

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Full Press Statement from today's deliberation with the Board of the Centenary City PLC

BUHARI, OSINBAJO WELCOME ASSURANCE THAT ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF CENTENARY CITY SITE HAVE BEEN COMPENSATED

The Presidency Friday in Abuja welcomed an assurance from Centenary City PLC that all the original inhabitants of the site have been fully compensated.

Speaking after being briefed by the Chairman of the company's board of directors, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and members of its management team, President Buhari praised the Centenary City's main development partners from the United Arab Emirates for having enough confidence in Nigeria to agree to invest about $18.5 billion in the project.

President Buhari also welcomed the assertion by Gen. Abubakar and his team that the project will create about 250,000 more direct jobs in the Federal Capital Territory and about half a million indirect jobs.

The President noted that skills, expertise and vast experience that will be brought into country to build the Centenary City on the Dubai model, will also be of immense benefit to Nigeria's overall development.

He said that he looked forward to regular updates on the Centenary City's development.

Vice President Yemi Osibanjo who was also present at the briefing, said that the issue of the rights of the original inhabitants of the site acquired for the Centenary City had been of concern to the present Administration.

"We are glad that it is being handled," he said while welcoming the assurance that compensation had been paid to those who will be displaced by the project and that the issue of their relocation was being addressed.

Gen. Abubakar and the management of the Centenary City also told President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo that the project will be totally private sector driven.

Garba Shehu
SSA to the President
(Media & Publicity)

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Nigerian National Arunma Oteh Appointed World Bank Treasurer

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim on Friday announced the appointment of Arunma Oteh as Vice President and Treasurer of the World Bank.

“Arunma has deep knowledge of capital markets and tremendous experience as the former Treasurer of one of our partner development banks,” said Kim. “We are very fortunate to be able to recruit an individual of Arunma’s obvious caliber.”

Ms. Oteh, a Nigerian national, was most recently the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria. Appointed to a five-year term by the President of Nigeria in 2010, she led the transformation of the country’s capital markets industry into a major global presence. She was a member of the Board of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and the Chairperson of the Africa Middle East Regional Committee of IOSCO.

Prior to joining the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria, Ms. Oteh was Group Vice President, Corporate Services, at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). In this role she oversaw a number of departments, including human resources, information and communications technology, and institutional procurement. From 2001 to 2006 she held the role of AfDB Group Treasurer, where she led AfDB’s fundraising and capital market activities across the world. Earlier roles at the AfDB, which she joined in 1992, included trading room management, investment portfolio coverage, and public sector lending. She also held other positions in capital markets and lending during the course of her career at the AfDB.

In her role at the World Bank, Ms. Oteh will manage and lead a large and diverse team responsible for managing more than $150 billion in assets. Her top priorities will be to: (i) maintain the World Bank’s global reputation as a prudent and innovative borrower, investor and risk manager; (ii) manage an extensive client advisory, transaction and asset management business for the Bank; (iii) engage, in her capacity as one of the World Bank’s key representatives,  with outside stakeholders including global private sector financial institutions, the financial media and the sovereign debt and reserve managers in client countries, as well as ratings agencies; and (iv) collaborate extensively with the Finance Partners throughout the World Bank Group, including with IFC and MIGA, expanding shared approaches, in particular around innovative financing for development and for key new projects.

This appointment is effective on September 28, 2015.

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Why reps exchanged blows during Thursday’s plenary – Daura

The All Progressives Congress member in the House of Representatives, Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura, representing Zango/Baure Federal Constituency of Katsina State, has issued a press statement on the physical battle that ensued in the Green Chamber during plenary on Thursday.

At the plenary, the tension and divided interest among the legislators led to a brawl between the two factions in the chamber.

The statement reads:

“We are here on behalf of our colleagues of the APC House Caucus to explain to you the unfortunate occurrence during today’s plenary session.

“The action that occurred inside the chamber of the House of Representatives was in reaction to the illegal and unconstitutional action taken by Speaker Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives, an action in his usual tradition of total disregard to the wishes of the majority members of the APC Caucus, the Party itself and the spirit of the Party.

“We are aware of a letter sent by our Party, APC, dated 23rd June 2015, conveying the approval of the party’s principal officers vis a vis the APC House Leader, the APC Chief Whip, the APC Deputy House Leader and the APC Deputy Chief Whip for the House of Representatives.

“This letter by the Party is in compliance with the expressed wish and mandate of the Majority Members of the APC Caucus in the House of Representatives.

“This action of the party and the APC House Caucus is in compliance with the Nigerian Constitution, the House rules and parliamentary tradition, practices and precedents in Nigeria and all over the World.

“But to our surprise and in breach of our privilege and rights as contained in the Constitution and extant House Rules, Mr. Speaker refused to read the letter from our party. 

“The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are not Party Principal Officers but are House of Representatives Presiding Officers and by precedent and practice are expected to provide a level playing ground for all members, while the Party Principal Officers are supposed to be the main advocates for their individual party positions.    

“The Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives are elected by all members of the House of Representatives irrespective of party affiliation and it is also possible under our extant rules for a Speaker and his Deputy to be elected from a minority/opposition party in the National Assembly.

“Therefore, Speaker Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives cannot under extant laws and House rules appoint, choose, select, dictate or even provide guidance on how Party Principal Officers emerge or are elected or selected. That responsibility and authority lies with each Party and Party’s Caucus members in the House.

“If I may ask, is Speaker Yakubu Dogara empowered to do that for the PDP House Caucus?

“This action by Speaker Yakubu Dogara cannot and will not be allowed to stand as it will set a dangerous precedent in our parliamentary practice as it will give the Speaker the right and authority to appoint, choose, select, dictate or even provide guidance on how Principal Officers emerge or are elected or selected by the Majority and Minority Parties in the House of Representatives. This action is capable of truncating our democracy.

“As for the claim being made that a particular zone should not be allowed to produce more than one Principal Officer, we say this with all sense of decorum, that this claim is absolute rubbish.

“Precedences were set in the 6th & 7th Assemblies where a single zone, the North-West, produced two and three Principal Officers, respectively.

“We, the loyal and disciplined majority APC Caucus in the House of Representatives are fully committed in ensuring that our party’s and President Muhammadu Buhari’s manifesto, agenda and positions prevail despite the efforts and shenanigans of the opposition party(s) and the few disloyal and undisciplined APC party members in the House of Representatives.

“We are determined in our efforts to utilise all legislative strategies available to us, so as to ensure the compliance with due process and democratic norms and values.

“We shall persevere, come rain come shine!

“We the loyal and disciplined majority APC Caucus in the House of Representatives and the All Progressives Congress have dished out enough of the carrots, it’s time to crack the whip so as to ensure party discipline and maintain order.

“Dare I say, we rode to power on the platform of the party, the party is supreme and thus no one is above the party.

“God Bless the All Progressives Congress.

“God Bless The House of Representatives.

“God Bless Nigeria.

“Thank You for listening.”

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New World Bank Financing Supports Lao PDR’s Poverty Reduction Fund

To enable the construction of vital infrastructure including schools, health clinics, roads and drinking water systems for poor communities across Laos, the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved US$11.6 million in new financing for Lao PDR’s Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF).

The objective of the PRF is to help improve access to and utilization of basic infrastructure and services for poor communities, and to achieve this using inclusive development processes, with an emphasis on sustainability. 

The financing is being provided in response to a request from the Lao government and allows the PRF to scale up some of the results of the project.

“Since the second phase of the PRF project began in October 2011, more than 450,000 members of rural communities have in provinces such as Houaphan, Attapeu and Sekong have benefitted from it,” said Mr. Ulrich Zachau, Country Director of the World Bank for Southeast Asia.

Specifically, the additional funding will finance about 200 additional infrastructure sub-projects (in areas such as education, health, roads and irrigation); enable the continuation of a livelihoods and nutrition pilot project, and support a new government sanitation program on a pilot basis.

The draft 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) recognizes that improving access to basic education infrastructure, safe water and roads is critical to address rural poverty. Access to infrastructure has to be improved if the overall policy goal of the NSEDP - graduation from Least Developed Country status by 2020 – can be met.

“Lao PDR’s Poverty Reduction Fund has contributed to a 37 percent increase in the use of health services, a 76 percent increase in access to safe water resources and a 30 percent increase in access to all-weather roads in target villages across the country. These are remarkable achievements,” said Zachau. “The new financing for the project will help expand the reach of the project and improve these results further.”

The PRF was established by the Lao Government in 2002 and is part of the Government Office.

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Nigerian govt. bans police, other para-military agencies from use of camouflage uniforms

The use of camouflage uniforms by various security agencies other than the Armed Forces namely the Army, Navy and the Air Force has been banned.

The Nigerian Police will however use the uniform when in Joint Operation with the military or on special operation such as specific anti-riot missions, a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Chris Olukolade, said Friday.

Mr. Olukolade, a Major General, said the te new rule followed the directive of the National Security Council approving the recommendations of a committee on measures to streamline the use of camouflage uniforms.

This, he said, was in view of the security implications and concerns raised on the clamour, duplicity and proliferation of camouflage uniforms in the country.

“The use of camouflage/fatigue is therefore restricted to the military and for occasional use by the police henceforth,” the statement said.

Mr. Olukolade added, “The directive also stipulates that the military is to adopt only two types of camouflage for the three arms of the Armed Forces.

“All para-military agencies using various camouflage/fatigues uniforms have up to January 2016 to withdraw such materials currently in their inventory.

“With this development, the Ministry of Justice along with law enforcement agencies have been tasked to ensure that extant laws guiding the use of uniforms in Nigeria are strictly enforced.

“In the same vein, the Office of the National Security Adviser has been vested with the authority to vet and clear any production and supply of camouflage uniforms in Nigeria.

“The proliferation and imitation by criminals and impostors using uniforms especially the camouflage have been generating some concern in national security circles.

“The development has been communicated to all the agencies by the Office of the National Security Adviser.”

(Premium Times)

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Press release: Millions to Benefit from Myanmar’s New Partnership Framework With the World Bank Group

About three million pregnant women and children in Myanmar are expected to benefit from improved health services, and six million people will have better access to electricity and other basic services in the next three years under the World Bank’s first full partnership framework in 30 years.

The 2015-17 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) endorsed today by the World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors will provide up to $1.6 billion in credits, loans and grants, as well as technical assistance and knowledge from the International Development Association (IDA), the Bank’s fund for the poorest countries.

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