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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2012
CONTENTS News
2-11
Editorial
12
Op.Ed
13
Letters
14
Opinion
15
Metro
16-17
Business
19-22
S/Exchange
23
S/Report
24
Religion
26
Feature
27
Newsxtra
29
2015: ANPP set to join CPC/ACN alliance – Ogbonnaya Onu, Page 40
International 31-34 Strange World 35 Digest
36
Politics
37-40
Sports
41-47
Columnist
48
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Robberies: 7 police Inspectors, others arrested in Zamfara From Salisu Zakari Maradun, Gusau
T
he famous robbers’ hunter, Alhaji Ali Kwara, has disclosed that nine serving policemen in Zamfara state have been nabbed for their involvement in the supply of arms and ammunition to robbers in the state. Ali Kwara who made the disclosure while briefing journalists at the Presidential lounge, Gusau, said seven
Inspectors, a sergeant and a constable were arrested with the assistance of the Special AntiRobbery Squad attached to him and the Zamfara State Police Command after a tipoff. He said the current operation in the state was targeted at ridding the state of gun runners and suppliers of arms to criminals particularly to armed robbers terrorizing the Dansadau Emirate in Maru local government area of
the state. He also said that during his operation in the state, a weapons depot was discovered in Gusau Central Market, which he said belonged to one of the arrested police personnel. The invitation of famous hunter, Ali Kwara by the Zamfara state government to assist in policing the state has paid off within the short period in the state, as gun runners are fleeing the
state in droves for the fear of arrest and prosecution. When contacted, the Zamfara state Police Commissioner, Akila Usman Gwary said he was not competent to speak on the issue as it is being investigated at the Headquarters in Abuja. He said he could only speak on matter when investigations were completed and reported back to him.
Reps threaten to impeach Jonathan Contd from Page 1
Arunma Oteh, be immediately t e r m i n a t e d . T h e recommendation stated: “The appointment of Ms Arunma Oteh be terminated forthwith as DG of SEC, as her appointment is in violation of Section 3(2) and Section 38(1)(b), 2 and 3; Section 315 of the ISA 2007 in that she did not have 15 years experience in the Nigerian Capital Market as required; “She has shown incompetence in the management of human and material resources at her disposal in SEC; lack of transparency in managing Project 50, regulatory failure in some of the recent mergers, acquisitions and approval of transactions by SEC and general inability to carry along her staff, Board, and management in decision making in SEC, and questionable staff recruitment policies.” The House also approved the recommendations of the committee that the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor (CBN), Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and his deputies be subjected to a code of conduct probe for allegedly failing to regulate the Capital Market, which led to its failures and consequent loss of investments by local and foreign investors. The lawmakers equally recommended that former CBN Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, erstwhile Director, Banking Supervision, CBN, Ignatius Imala and the current Deputy Governor, Banking Supervision, Tunde Lemo, be further investigated on account of their roles in the banking sector crisis, which led to the apex bank’s intervention in the eight distressed banks in August 2008. However, the lawmakers asked the Presidency to re-present the PIB on their resumption from their annual recess, even as they blamed the Executive for the delay in the consideration and passage of the bill. Alleging poor implementation of the 2012 Budget, the House also directed President Jonathan to order Finance cum Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to
immediately release all funds appropriated for various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) for the first and second quarters of the year. The lawmakers also unanimously resolved to direct the Presidency to ensure timely processing of the releases for the third and fourth quarters in line with the provisions of the Appropriation Act. The legislators, who expressed displeasure over the selective implementation of the Appropriation Act alleged that the Executive has over the past few months, “set aside” the Appropriation Act but resolved to implement the “budget proposal” it submitted ab initio to the National Assembly. Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila and Minority Whip, Samson Osagie, who took turns to comment on the issue on the floor of the House, argued that the Executive’s action was a “gross violation” of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Gbajabiamila who accused the President of grave violation of the Constitution, threatened that “the House shall draft relevant articles of impeachment” in line with Section 143 of the Constitution, if the Presidency failed to ensure 100 percent implementation of the Appropriation Act, when the House resumes its 49-day annual recess beginning from yesterday. The resolution to commence the impeachment process against the President was sequel to the motion sponsored by Sam Tsokwa, Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, who expressed concern that only N200 billion has been released by the Federal Ministry of Finance to execute capital projects out of N1.5 trillion approved in the Appropriation Act. John Enoh, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, disclosed that from the sum of N304 billion and N375 billion to be released to the MDAs for the first and second quarters, only N104 billion and N104 billion were released as at June ending. He said: “As at the end of the
second quarter, that is June, 2012, out of about N1.5 trillion for capital expenditure, what the Executive was supposed to release for the first is at least N375 billion but in the first quarter, about N104 billion was released.” On his part, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Chairman, House Committee on Finance warned against further breach of the Constitution just as he dismissed the Federal Government’s claim of not granting waivers. He said: “Documents showed that waivers have been granted consistently to the tune of about N2 billion monthly; but in the month of May alone, N139 billion waiver was granted.” According to Jibrin, records showed that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has so far generated N468 billion, as against N307 billion projected in the appropriation law, leaving a healthy surplus. He also disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has refused to submit its annual budget to the National Assembly for consideration and passage in spite of all entreaties from the National Assembly to the corporation. The lawmakers equally recommended that the Project 50, which they suspected lacked transparency, be investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related matters Commission (ICPC). They further recommended: “That the Head of Service of the Federation should investigate and determine if the Ms. Arunma Oteh committed any of the following offences and report back to the House within 30 days from the adoption of this report: * Illegally stayed in Transcorp Hotel Abuja beyond the period she was entitled to, contravened the monetisation policy of the Federal Government by approving the commission’s fund, N62 million for 5-bedroom apartment; * If it was proper for Ms Oteh as SEC DG to solicit for and obtain donations from companies she regulates for “Project 50; *purchase of three Hilux
vehicles at the cost of N32 million without due processes; *withdrawal of N200 million from the commission’s fund without approval from the Board; and * if it was proper for Ms. Oteh to administer the commission without input from other commissioners and management staff of the commission”.
Ramadan begins today Contd from Page 1 Prof. Dawud Noibi, in a presentation on moon sighting and Muslim unity in Nigeria, decried the controversy moon sighting had caused in the past. He called on the leadership of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to ensure there was mass education of Muslims on the need to adhere strictly to the rules regarding moon sighting for the beginning of Ramadan. In the meantime, Saudi Arabia, after receiving verified reports of the sighting of the Ramadan crescent, also declared today as the first day of the holy month of Ramadan this year and the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr will be on Aug. 19, according to a senior Islamic scholar in the Kingdom, Arab News reported. Similarly, religious authorities in most Middle Eastern countries have declared that today, Friday will be the start of the holy month of Ramadan, a period devoted to dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayers and good deeds. Official statements issued yesterday in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar and Yemen said the holy month will start today. Syria however said the holy month will begin Saturday. Ramadan’s start is calculated based on the sighting of the new moon, which marks the beginning of the Muslim lunar month. Some countries use astronomical calculations and observatories, while others rely on the naked eye alone, leading sometimes to different starting times in the Middle East.