Happy New Year 2000

Friday, 31 December 1999

From Sola Balogun, Abuja

FOLLOWING criticisms that the two plays being staged for the on-going millennium celebration are written by one playwright, the Federal Government has decided to swap one, for any of the nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinkas works.

The government had earlier approved Attahiru} and Trial of Oba Ovoramwen} written by Dr. Ahmed Yerima, deputy artistic director of the National Troupe of Nigeria for the celebrations.

Attahiru}, directed by Bayo Oduneye was on Tuesday night presented at the Abuja Sheraton Hotels and Towers in a command performance attended by President Olusegun Obasanjo and other top government officials.

But the Trial of Oba Ovonramwen} which is slated for staging in February 2000 would now be replaced with a Soyinka play.

Disclosing this on Wednesday night at Abuja was a deputy director in the Federal Department of Culture and member of the Millennium Committee Olagunju. A letter intimating Soyinka of the development has since been dispatched through a former Daily Times Managing Director and the renowned playwrights friend Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi.

According to Olagunju, the decision was made by Culture and Tourism Minister Ojo Maduekwe who had also spoken with Soyinka on the issue.

Having observed that the criticisms were constructive, Madueke bowed to superior logic and decided that a playwright of Soyinkas status should present a play of his choice.

On arrival from a foreign trip during which he spoke with the noble laureate, Madueke was said to have intimated Chief Dapo Sarumi, Chairman of the Millennium Committee on his thinking, which he also agreed to.

The minister (Maduekwe) through a formal letter, requested that Attahiru} and one of Soyinkas plays (new or old) written and directed by him should be the second play to come up between January and December next year, explained Olagunju.

He said the media criticisms, coupled with Soyinkas status, political antecendents and the current openness of Nigeria to the world were the reasons behind governments change of decision.

Although he did not explain whether or not Soyinka had accepted the offer, Olagunju affirmed that both Attahiru} and the proposed Soyinka play would be taken round the country in the new year in continuation of the millennium project which is being celebrated worldwide.

The project being celebrated simultaneously with the 1999 edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) in Abuja, is however believed to be taking the shine off the yearly festival, as government seems to be more interested in the former.

NAFEST 99, earlier billed to open on Monday, was postponed to Wednesday. However, the festival took off rather unceremoniously without the traditional official opening ritual. In a detailed programme of events circulated to participants on Wednesday morning at Abuja, which was slated for the Eagle Square at 11.00am, to be attended by all participating states and graced by the president as special guest of honour.

But just before 11a.m., another programme was circulated, urging guests and state contingents to assemble at the Old Parade Ground for the official opening ceremony. On getting there, security officials at the gate turned down guests, saying, they were unaware of any such event.

Nevertheless, the organisers _ National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) rolled out another programme announcing the informal take-off in the afternoon with indigenous music performance inside the main auditorium of the FCT Council for Arts and Culture.

Earlier on Tuesday night, the festivals command performance, featuring diverse dance forms by the FCT was held inside the same auditorium while Attahiru was also being staged at the Abuja Sheraton Hotels and Towers.

Although NAFEST continued yesterday with the national constumes display by children at Eagle Square and the opening ceremony of the craft expo/costumes exhibition, sources said Culture and Tourism Minister was unimpressed by NCACs enthusiasm since the structure of NAFEST does not connote NAFEST 99. Rather, the festival was to be a preparatory programme of the millennium project... It was expected to dovetail into the millennium but not to be a big festival on its own.

By Emman Ozoemena

For most workers in Abuja, this year’s New Year celebration is going to be low-keyed owing to non-payment of the December salary before the holiday.

A source at the office of Accountant - General of the Federation told Abuja Mirror that the salaries of most ministries and the parastatals were not ready before the Christmas and therefore no approval was given for payment.

"The State House, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, (MFCT) Presidency and other parastatals under the presidency, are affected by this development", the source said.

When Abuja Mirror visited the Federal Secretariat located at the central business district, Abuja, workers were seen discussing in hush tones this unfortunate development which has crippled the ambitions of the workers to celebrate Christmas and New Year holidays.

A staff of one of the ministries told our Correspondent that he has not seen this kind of situation since he started working for the past 20 years.

"The President has not been fair to us at all, by not ensuring that the salaries of the workers are paid", he added.

Another development that took the workers by surprise was decision of the federal government to ban any form of Christmas bonus and other welfare package for workers.

A memo from the office of the secretary to the Federal Government had directed ministers and heads of federal government institutions to discontinue the practice of the Christmas bonus and welfare package.

The Presidential order, as has been argued by President Olusegun Obasanjo is consonance with the avowed anti-corruption stance of his administration.

But a staff of one of the ministries in Abuja told Abuja Mirror yesterday that the order by the President is inhuman as a worker deserves his wage and that bonuses to workers are motivational instruments used all over the globe to encourage hard work.

"Look my friend, in all the nations of the world, organisations and governments give bonuses at the end of year to their workers. It is not a new thing and peculiar to Nigeria", he insisted.

Another Chief executive of a federal government institution queried how the government wants the workers to manage the holiday season without salaries.

"We are going to have long holidays, and you have not paid people, so what do you expect them to eat or do. I cannot understand this mindless policy at all", he quipped.

Abuja Mirror reliably gathered that this non-payment of December salaries might not be unconnected with non-implementation of the 1999 supplementary budget approved by the National Assembly last October and signed by President Obasanjo.

The National Assembly in November had passed a resolution querying the president on the alleged non-implementation of the supplementary budget by the Presidency.

Before going on recess last week, the Senate had raised a committee headed by the Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, to meet the presidency on the issue.

But till now, the outcome of the meeting is still unknown as the meeting was held behind close doors.

By Bukola Ojeme, Abuja

CASH totalling N300,000 was allegedly recovered by the police from the residence of the detained Permanent Secretary, Minister of Defence, Dr. Julius Makanjuola during a search.

Several shady deals including inflation of compensation to owners of land acquired by government for military projects were also uncovered by the police, according to Special Assistant to Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, the Defence Minister, Mr. John Dara who briefed newsmen yesterday in Abuja on the alleged N420.735 million fraud in the ministry.

Dr. Makanjuola and several top officials of the ministry are being held by the police in connection with the alleged fraud.

Mr. Dara who spoke to reporters on behalf of the minister said the N420.735 million was paid as compensation "in respect of various lands purportedly acquired by the army."

The payments were allegedly made without reference to the minister who, according to Mr. Dara stumbled on the files on the payments and invited the police.

But he said officials of other ministries, particularly Works and Housing were also involved in the deals.

Mr. Dara reading from Dr. Makanjuola’s alleged statement to the police said:

"He (Makanjuola) averred, that he was aware of all the payments totalling about N421 million. That he authorised payments in his capacity as the ministry’s accounting officer and the officer authorised to approve payment as against incurring expenditure.

"He (Makanjuola) stated further that the practice he met on the ground on assumption of duties which have been on over the years was for the permanent secretary to approve payments of compensation on lands compulsorily acquired by the army, without reference to the Minister of Defence.

"The permanent secretary did not change this practice, according to him, consequently, he continued as his predecessors had done."

Mr. Dara cited the case of Odiekpe Community of Anambra State whose compensation, Dr. Makanjuola allegedly asked his Deputy Director (Lands) to process on October 5, 1999.

He said:

"All the six payments vouchers were not signed by any of the beneficiary communities, although they were all stamped ‘paid.’

"The account department will have to explain why the vouchers were not signed if the checks have been signed out," Dara added.

In another instance, the Ikoro Community in Isioko/Ekwere Local Government Area of Rivers State which demanded a compensation of N40.7 million for its acquired land got it hiked to N107.1 million.

The police have invited the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing who made the recommendation for interrogation because they acted for "personal reasons" and government’s interest was not protected at all.

Mr. Dara added: "Aguleri community in Anambra State was presumably paid the sum of N42.8 million on 3/11/99. All amounting to a total of N77 million.

"Nawfia community in Njikoka LGA of Anambra State was presumably paid, on 28/9/99, the sum of N51,261,651.00. They were also paid an interest of N61.5 million. Lucky community. The total they were purportedly paid was N112.7 million.

"The Umunachi community in Dunokofia LGA of Anambra State was paid N30 million part payment on 16/12/99.

"Odoekpe community in Ogbaru LGA of Anambra State was paid the sum of N51.9 million on 11/10/99. They were also paid an interest of N41.5 million on 3/11/99, making a total of N93.4 million purportedly paid to that community.

"Awkuzu community of Oyi LGA, N45.7 million was purportedly paid to them on 11/10/99. And an interest of N36.6 million was paid to them on 3/11/99 making a total of N82.4 million paid to that community.

"Ikoro community in Isiokpo/Iwere LGA of River State the only one that is not from Anambra. They were paid the sum of N25 million on 16/12/99.

"So the total amount paid out from police findings came to N420,735,707.2."

Vanguard Transmitted Wednesday, 31 December, 1999

Friday, 31 December 1999

CBN takes stock, prepares for automated clearing system

From Rhikardo Chidi Obih, Kano

ABOUT N298 billion was cleared through 1,181,593 cheques in 905 clearing sessions in Kano State within the last four years, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has stated. Also, the CBN complied with governments directive to divest its retail banking activities by transferring 383 accounts to commercial banks.

It also introduced West African Travellers Cheques to facilitate trade in the sub-region and changed its bidding system from Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (AFEM) to Inter Bank Foreign Exchange Market (IFEM), to enhance efficiency in the management of foreign exchange.

Disclosing these at the launching of Kano Bankers Club Guest House and bankers end of the year party, the CBN branch controller, Makinde Okunfolami, said banks in the state did not perform badly during the year.

He added that the clearing area was fully prepared for the automated cheque clearing system, which, when fully operational, would make transfer and settlement of inter-bank debts easier and timely.

He noted that the N100 note was recently introduced, and as the economy grows and trade and commerce expand, government might introduce higher denominations in future.

Giving the account/report of the Kano clearing area, Okunfolami noted that each year witnessed remarkable improvement in its activities.

For instance, 298,595 cheques worth N47,7899 billion were cleared in 1996; 296,007, worth N50.64 billion in 1997; 303,400 valued N68,508,266,530.16 in 1998 while almost 100 per cent increase was witnessed in the outgoing year.

Also in 1999, there were 233 clearing sessions during which 283,591 cheques, valued at N131.136,335,430.33 were cleared, he said, adding that this was almost a 100 per cent increase over the figure in 1998.

He commended bankers in the area, saying that they brought innovations into the operations of the clearing house. According to him, the bankers introduced a representatives forum, established a recreation centre and the club house, which was launched at the occasion.

The CBN boss further disclosed that the Kano clearing area, with 39 banks, has admitted three other members, namely Access Bank of Nigeria, Intercontinental Bank Nigeria and City Express Bank, which were converted to commercial from merchant last year.

By Tola Kosoko

THE Gani Adams-led faction of the Oodua Peoples Congress OPC) yesterday denied that it was a violent group and insisted that its demand was the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference.

He said yesterday at a press conference in Lagos that the group was non-violent, contrary to public perception. According to him, it was unfair to attribute anything bad that happened in Lagos and the South-West to his faction.

Adams, whose faction of OPC has been enmeshed in credibility crisis because of its alleged association with violence, said: Our aims and objectives are to protect Yoruba in the diaspora. It is disheartening to note that many people have even linked the congress with anything violence and our members have been branded with a lot of unprintable names.

I think it is high time people got to understand that the quest of the OPC is to break all yokes and shackles of oppression, feudalism and human annihilation rather than take to violence, he added.

He advised other similar ethnic organisations in the country to shun the act of antagonising the OPC, stressing that they should see the congress as a partner in progress.

Adams refuted recent speculations that the organisation was being sponsored by the Lagos State government, saying it was baseless and unfounded.

He said: You will all recall the unfortunate incident between Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State and some of our members on the Lagos Island.

Dr. Frederick Fasehuns secretary announced to the whole world that the OPC wanted to eliminate the governor because he has sympathy for their group. How then can Governor Tinubu who has sympathy for Fasheun's group be sponsoring those he has no sympathy for? he asked.

Commenting on the current democratic dispensation in the country, Adams said that the only way through which Nigeria can move forward was the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference that would accommodate all the ethnic groups in the country.

According to him, the conference would help assuage the feelings that some ethnic groups were being favoured at the expense of others.

I would like to appeal to the Obasanjo government to as matter of urgency convoke a Sovereign National Conference that would help to put an end to the political, social and economic problems that have been beseting the country over the years, he said.

The OPC co-ordinator in Badagry, Mr. A. P. Tope, has meanwhile denied a newspaper report that there was a clash between its members and customsmen on the Lagos-Seme expressway.

He said the incident, which occurred at Afowo check-point along Owode-Badagry road, was perpetrated by some hoodlums and touts masquerading under the name of OPC.

The public particularly the press should stop calling the OPC a bad name just because we are agitating for justice and equity in the nations polity, he added.

The Nigeria Customs Service NCS) has also denied the involvement of any of its officials in the reported clash with members of the OPC.

A statement by its Lagos zonal public relations officer, Mr. Ade Dosunmu, said the purported attack did not physically involve its officials as reported in the newspaper.

From Sunny Igboanugo, Enugu

BARELY a month after a pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo demanded N8.6 trillion from the Federal Government as reparation for the loss of lives and property by the Igbo during the Nigerian civil war, another group, Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) has asked for the restoration of Igbo dignity.

IYM, in a statement after the World Igbo Convention in Enugu on Wednesday, said reparation should be paid by the government for the bastardisation of Igbo dignity during the civil war and the second rate citizenship accorded them by successive federal administrations.

The group, which also blamed the neglect of the South-East on bad leadership, pointed out that the problems that precipitated the war still existed today.

Stating that this was dangerous to the country's unity, it asked the government to urgently redress them. In fact, the bubble has burst and fire brigade action is required, it added.

Demanding equal treatment for their neighbours in oil producing areas of the South-South, the youths said that the present clamour by them (neighbours) to control their natural resources indicate that the destinies of the South-South and South-East are inter-woven.

IYM disclosed that its members have agreed to co-operate in future, to resist state terrorism, such as the type exhibited by the Federal Government in Odi, Bayelsa State.

It said: ÔÔIgbo youths and all the youths of South-South have agreed to co-operate in future to resist state terrorism of the type recently unleashed in Odi by the Federal Government.

Since youths of both areas command a large number of men in arms, we have resolved to go to battle if need be to defend ourselves if any government tries enemy action on us in future.

The group warned that provocation of the Igbo by any ethnic group will not be tolerated any longer. Those wishing to use them as cannon fodder or for mockery would receive serious reprisals, it said.

IYM, however, advised its compatriots to adhere strictly to the law in their agitations.

To reposition the Igbo for the new millennium, they said that modalities are being worked out for intensive mass education of Igbo traders in market places.

IYM, in collaboration with highly spirited organisations at local and international levels is to bring about continuing education for the traders who form the majority of the productive spread far and wide in Africa and the diaspora.

Against the backdrop of agitation by youths of different ethnic nationalities in the country, the organisation said in a resolution yesterday that time was up for complacency among the Igbo.

From contemporary experience, the Nigerian nation state has shown amazing callousness toward Ndigbo and their neighbours as a people, from the acts of exclusion that have characterised the distribution of resources of the commonwealth of Nigeria, they said.

Alluding to the alleged neglect of the oil producing areas which had given vent to the agitation of the Ijaw, the IYM condemned the overwhelming influence of the Federal Government over the nations wealth. It noted that despite the contribution of Ndigbo and their neighbours in terms human and natural resources, not much has been done to better their lot.

They lamented that Ndigbo had over the years found themselves unprotected in numerous undesirable situations like those that led to the last civil war, adding that they have become the target of other ethnic groups who intend to dominate the socio-political scenes.

The penchant for quick wealth by the Igbo people, IYM said, has been exploited by other ethnic groups to deliberately split and lay waste their (Igbo) homogeneity in a bid to subjugate them and prevent them from resurgence after the civil war.

It took a swipe at the leadership in Igboland, saying youths have become increasingly restrive by the conditions imposed on them by bad leadership.

They (youths) are unwilling now to wait for the leaders who have largely spent their lives selfishly.

The youths desire to take their destiny into their own hands and start the process of building a better future for the upcoming generations of Ndigbo devoid of second class status in the scheme of things in any nation they may choose to identify with in the future, they said.

From Adamu Abuh, and Abiodun Adeniyi, Abuja

VIOLENCE erupted yesterday at the national secretariat of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) as two rival factions attempted to take control of the office.

This came after a series of claims and counter-claims by the factions, especially the Adamu Usman Song camp which yesterday announced the suspension of Chief Abraham Adesanya, a chieftain of the party.

Trouble started when the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Song camp led by Abdulahi Mohammed announced the inauguration of his executive at the Area 8, Abeokuta Street, Abuja national office of the party.

At the ceremony where Song was in attendance, Mohammed said: Consistent with the policy direction of our great party and the provision of our constitution, I want to avail myself of the opportunity to formally declare our programme to give progressive orientation to the teaming hundreds of thousands of our cadres who yearn for leadership.

Formal and informal party structures shall definitely be created where they don't exist, reactivated where they are comatose. Networks will definitely be built and identified even as we create coalitions and develop leadership. All of these, together, are a veritable component of the larger assault against reaction and retrogression.

The FCT chapter of the AD will no longer tolerate name-dropping and the making of fantastic claims by those who are only interested in lining their pockets. Any attempt from whatever quarters to question our resolve to move the party forward shall be crushed. The AD is our life.

Mohammed hardly finished his speech when noise emanated from outside the hall. A bus load of partisans alleged to be thugs had arrived. They brandished cutlasses, broken bottles and sundry instruments.

A faction chairman of the party in the FCT, Mr. Mike Odurinde, who Mohammed had earlier poured expletives on accompanied the bus. The enthusiastic partisans, chanting war songs, went into the secretariat and disrupted the purported inauguration ceremony.

In doing this, most persons including Song, were searched by the angry youths. Journalists were not spared. Tribune reporter, Mr. Ove Mokogu, had his midget smashed while others were quickly checked in the stampede and asked out.

Mohammed alleged afterwards that his brief case containing N52,000 was snatched, while the secretary of his faction also alleged that N2,000 was taken from him.

At the end the invading group took over the secretariat, locked it and asked everybody to leave. They locked the offices and went away with the keys.

Song, in a statement announcing the suspension of Adesanya, said the action was necessitated by the desire of the new leadership to put a permanent full stop to the dominance and over bearing influence of some constituted clique that has hijacked all the responsibilities of the party leadership.

Another reason advanced by Song for Adesanya's removal was the need to distinguish and separate AD from Afenifere which, according to him, has impeded the growth and national outlook of the party.

Besides, Adesanya was accused of forcing all members of the party nation-wide to bow to the dictates of Afenifere.

THE Democratic Republic of Congo, yesterday signified its interest to patronise Nigeria's crude oil.

It said it had become expedient to resort to Nigerias oil as multinationals have ruined its oil industry.

A director at the Presidency in Kinshasa, Tshionda Ntele Wa Balonga, who led a two-man delegation of Congolese President Laurent Kabila to a meeting with senior top management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Abuja, said multinationals built the only refinery in his country, but that the refinery could not refine its crude because of its heavy sulphur content, which did not meet the specifications of the plant.

The same multinational, Balonga alleged, turned round to export Congo's crude and petroleum products, the distribution of which they did as a monopoly, thereby making Congo lose two-folds.

He said the companies, which included petroleum giants like Shell and Mobil, had signed agreements with Kabila's predecessors to exploit Congo's crude oil for 30 years, without paying taxes or royalties, and to import finished products without paying import duties.

To checkmate them, he said the present administration in Congo must first look for alternatives and it had therefore decided to turn to Nigeria, where the multinationals also prospect, to buy low-sulphur crude commonly available in Nigeria.

He added that Congo preferred to trade with Nigeria, to expand inter-African trade, which would be mutually beneficial, and that the arrangement will be better than allowing Europe and other continents to continue to milk African nations to service their own economies.

Congo, he said, could in turn invite Nigeria to exploit its forest and solid mineral deposits, and that as a giant electric power producer on the African continent, it could sell electricity to Nigeria.

NNPC Group Managing Director Jackson Gaius-Obaseki, said while the Nigerian government was desirous of promoting economic integration in Africa, the corporations mandate was to operate strictly on commercial basis.

We will be prepared to sell our crude oil to the Democratic Republic of Congo, just as we have been doing to Kenya and Ghana, but the days of granting moratorium to customers are over, he said.

Conditions for buying Nigerias crude oil will not be waived to indulge any customer, Gaius-Obaseki said, adding, however, that we are supportive of governments efforts to expand intra-African business relationships.

Nigeria, according to him, was monitoring those lifting its crude, to ensure that in the case of African countries, they actually use the crude oil at their refineries and not divert same to other destinations.

PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo will this afternoon in Abuja, meet with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the controversial deregulation of prices of petroleum products.

The meeting which will be attended by the 13-man National Administrative Council (NAC) of congress will also discuss Labour's protest to Aso Rock Villa last Tuesday over the proposed increase in prices of petroleum products, among others.

NLC President Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, will lead the Labour leaders to the meeting which is at the instance of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

By Francis Obinor, Lagos

FOR the ousted President Konan Bedie of Cote d'Ivoire, his fall from grace to grass seems a foregone conclusion going by the assertions of his colleagues, including President Olusegun Obasanjo, who attributed his travails to his political rigidity and intransigence.

Bedie, who was ousted by army mutineers last Friday and provided a somewhat dignified exit to Lome, Togo, by France was accused by his colleagues of frustrating their efforts towards resolving the country's political crisis triggered by leadership crisis between him and former Prime Minister Allasane Ouattara.

His failure to reach an accord with arch-rival Ouattara coupled with the neglect of the soldiers' welfare seemed to be his albatross as he lost the confidence of his personal security guards who shifted their loyalty to the mutineers, a development he least expected.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Chief Doyin Okupe yesterday said President Obasanjo had foreseen the ousting of Bedie and made frantic efforts to make him accommodate the opposition members to move the country forward.

According to him, President Obasanjo, because of the crisis that engulfed Cote d'Ivoire in the wake of the disqualification of Ouattara and the jailing of key opposition members was in constant touch with Bedie, pleading that he accommodate other political opponents to stem the ensuing problem.

Speaking on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) he said: "It is not true Nigeria never said anything. The truth is that President Obasanjo had made representation and I am aware that the President had spoken on several occasions with President Bedie, made contacts with him and had several discussions.

"President Obasanjo had met other heads of state in relating to this issue and as a visionary he had foreseen the possibility of this development and had made frantic efforts to prevent it by actually discussing the issue with President Bedie."

Bedie arrived in Nigeria yesterday from Togo to brief Obasanjo on the ongoing development in his country in a frantic move to relaunch himself back to power.

According to the president's spokesman, Bedie, who had since left for Togo had a warm reception usually accorded any visiting head of state.

Asked if Nigeria still recognised Bedie as the Ivoirien leader, he said: "Well like I just told you, Nigeria does not support military coup d'etat, it does not support ousting of a constitutional government through a military coup and that is the position of the country.

"As soon as President Bedie came, he went straight into a closed-door meeting with his host President Olusegun Obasanjo for two hours after which President Bedie addressed the airport correspondents.

"Essentially what he said was that the development in Cote d 'Ivoiren was regrettable and it was an unfortunate development and for this reason he is going about to speak to his colleagues in order to find ways by which the unfortunate situation can be resolved."

According to Okupe, Bedie insisted on being the "authentic leader of the people of Cote d'Ivoire as the only truly elected president."

Asked if Nigeria would oppose the new military regime headed by General Robert Guei, he said: "Nigeria will not act in isolation. I believe Nigeria is in consultation with other heads of state. I'm aware that there may be an emergency ECOWAS meeting purposely because of the development in Cote d'Ivoire."

Monday, 27 December 1999